Google DeepMind has opened applications for a Europe-focused robotics accelerator. The three-month program combines technical mentorship, product support, and potential cloud credits up to $350k for eligible startups.
A new MIT Technology Review investigation reveals that humanoid robot companies routinely obscure the scale of human teleoperation and data collection labor behind their demos, risking a repeat of AI's early automation-washing scandals.
Unitree released a cinematic bullet-time video showcasing the fluid movement and agility of its humanoid robots, going viral across social media.
Figure.AI shared a striking comparison of its headquarters 1 year and 3 months apart, demonstrating explosive growth. Its humanoid robots now operate autonomously 24/7 with unit swapping and 2kW wireless charging docks.
At China's 2026 CCTV Spring Festival Gala on February 17, humanoid robots from Unitree, MagicLab, Noetix, and Beijing Galbot performed martial arts, acrobatics, and household tasks, showcasing rapid advances in motion control and embodied AI.
Unitree founder Wang Xingxing disclosed plans to ship between 10,000 and 20,000 G1 humanoid robots in 2026, nearly quadrupling last year's ~5,500 units. Morgan Stanley doubled its China humanoid sales forecast to 28,000 units, reflecting the sector's rapid shift from research to commercial scale.
Google DeepMind announced Gemini Robotics-ER 2 on January 8, 2026, highlighting improved data efficiency and real-world action performance. The update targets a core robotics bottleneck: reliable generalization from training to physical environments.
Humanoid robotics company Apptronik secured $520 million in Series A-X funding at a $5 billion valuation to scale production of its Apollo robots.
Boston Dynamics unveiled its production-ready electric Atlas humanoid at CES 2026 and immediately began manufacturing. Hyundai Motor Group plans to deploy tens of thousands across its facilities.
Boston Dynamics unveiled the final production version of Atlas at CES 2026 in January, marking its transition from research platform to enterprise product. Plans are confirmed to deploy tens of thousands of Atlas units at Hyundai Motor Group manufacturing facilities.