Our Scans · National Robotics Initiative · Weekly Summary

• [New] In 2026, robotics will move from exploratory pilots to structured early adoption across the print production floor, driven by rising costs, persistent labour challenges, and growing demand for faster turnaround and 24/7 output. Automate
• [New] Samsung Electronics jumped 9.5% after high-bandwidth memory progress and hopes of closer Nvidia ties, while LG Electronics surged 28% on potential AI and robotics cooperation. / South Korea Saxo Bank A/S (Headquarters)
• [New] By 2050, the hospitality industry will become deeply integrated with augmented intelligence and advanced robotics. Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute
• [New] Emerging Startup Trends Beyond 2026 The next generation of IoT innovation will focus on highly autonomous ecosystems powered by AI, quantum computing, advanced robotics, and predictive intelligence. Differ
• On the Q1 2026 earnings call, Tesla declared it will convert the Fremont, California factory to humanoid robot production in Q2 2026, phasing out the Model S and Model X assembly lines to build a robotics plant targeting one million units per year at full capacity. Medium
• 2026 will be huge for robotics: the most important humanoid company on the planet is going public in 2026. LinkedIn
• Future AI systems will instead rely on world models that learn abstract representations of physics, causality, and consequences, enabling planning, reasoning, and adaptation in real-world environments like robotics, healthcare, factories, and industrial systems. Radical Data Science
• By 2060, AI and robotics will handle all operational labour across many sectors. Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute
• 86% of employers surveyed by the WEF expect AI and information processing technologies to transform their businesses by 2030 - making it the most-cited technology trend by a wide margin, ahead of robotics and energy storage technologies. Lepaya
• NVIDIA has already announced its next-generation GR00T N2 robotics foundation model, building on the widely used GR00T N1.7, which is expected to appear later in 2026. ETF Trends
• Autonomous construction robotics - the systems that will prepare the landing site, deploy solar arrays, and begin habitat construction before humans arrive - are in active development, with Tesla's Optimus robot being positioned as the primary platform for early surface operations. Techvorta
• The 2026-2030 five-year plan emphasises support for industrial and technological development, particularly artificial intelligence, 6G technology, robotics, quantum computing and industries supporting the green transition. / China BOFIT
• To incentivize OEMs to re-tool their plants for high-mix, low-volume assembly, Ontario and Ottawa could co-create a capital cost offset fund and allow full immediate expensing of investments in automation, robotics, and digital manufacturing systems. RBC
• Automation and robotics could lead to a world where fewer workers build more vehicles. RBC
• Tesla increasing its 2026 spending plan to more than $25 billion is not just an earnings-call talking point ... it signifies a strategic statement about where management believes automotive value will be created next: AI, robotics, compute, and vertically integrated intelligence. LinkedIn
• 2026 could be a breakthrough year for robotics technology. RankiaPro
• With increasing global regulatory pressure and increased demand from project owners for easily verifiable safety compliance data, the use of AI and robotics in many high-risk industries will rapidly accelerate for the duration of this decade. Robotics & Automation News
• The Underwater Robotics and Autonomy Forum will focus on sector-agnostic robotic applications and emerging technologies capable of operating beyond human capability, supporting the UK's ambition to strengthen its position as a global leader in subsea robotics. Ocean News & Technology
• NVIDIA has already announced its next-generation GR00T N2 robotics foundation model, building on the widely used GR00T N1.7, which is expected to appear later this year. ETF Database
• Japan: Frictionless retail infrastructure demand in Japan is expected to grow at 22.6% CAGR through 2036 due to increasing investments in retail robotics, smart vending systems, AI-powered convenience retail, and autonomous store automation technologies. FactMr
• We expect autonomous driving and robotics will become widespread as services within the next five years, and the focus of AI will shift from training toward inference. SoftBank News. Bringing IT closer to home.

Last updated: 22 June 2026