The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) has published its World Robotics 2026 report with fresh numbers on factory automation. According to it, a record five million industrial robots were operating in factories worldwide in 2025, up 9% on a year earlier and more than double the stock of seven years ago.
New installations passed 600,000 units, an increase of 11%. China took 59% of global installations with 354,000 robots (up 20%), beating its own previous record by almost 60,000 units. Chinese suppliers sold 195,000 robots at home, but their 55% share of the domestic market is slightly lower than the 57% they held in 2024.
Who is growing and who is falling
The US grew 12% to almost 38,500 robots and overtook Japan, which dropped 19% to 36,219 units. South Korea stayed at about 30,000 (down 1%), while Germany fell 8% to under 25,000 but remains Europe's largest market with 41% of EU installations. India rose 15% to nearly 10,500 and ranks sixth globally.
For 2026 the IFR expects around 655,000 new robots (up 9%) and about 806,000 by 2029. One note for readers who follow humanoids: the release covers conventional industrial robots and does not mention humanoid machines. The figures therefore describe the market that new general-purpose robots will still have to find their place in.
Source: International Federation of Robotics, 24 September 2026.