Thinking About Buying Humanoid Robots? Think Again

InnovationAIThinking About Buying Humanoid Robots? Think AgainByRobert J. Szczerba,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Robert J. Szczerba is a tech CEO covering AI, robotics and automationFollow AuthorJun 09, 2026, 07:43am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more. Artificial general intelligence (AGI) humanoid robots performing tasks in a warehouse.Getty ImagesIf your company is thinking about buying a humanoid robot, the first question you should ask is not whether the technology is impressive. It’s whether the economics make sense.Building a robot that can walk on two legs, maintain balance, and manipulate objects with human-like dexterity is one of the hardest problems in robotics. That’s why the engineering coming out of companies like Figure AI, Apptronik, and the humanoid pilots being run by GXO Logistics, are so important to watch.As someone who has spent much of my career building and commercializing robotic systems, I have enormous respect for the teams tackling this challenge. But impressive engineering and a compelling business case are not the same thing.Most warehouses, factories, and distribution centers don’t have a “looks like a human” problem. They have a throughput problem, a reliability problem, and a cost problem. When you evaluate humanoid robots through that lens, the picture changes quickly.The Buyer’s Question Is Economics, Not AnatomyOperations executives tend to ask the same practical questions when evaluating automation. Will this system move more product per hour? Will it reduce labor costs? How much downtime should we expect? How many technicians will it take to keep the system running? And how long will it take to pay back the investment?Whether the machine has two arms, two legs, and a head is largely irrelevant. If a robot that looks like a refrigerator can do the job better than a robot that looks like a pers...