JPMorgan expects strong demand for humanoid robots in warehouses

JPMorgan has laid out a case that humanoid robots are about to become the most popular new hires in American warehouses. The investment bank’s latest research projects that the global robotics market could balloon from roughly $100 billion in 2025 to $2.5 trillion in annual sales by 2035, with warehousing and manufacturing leading the charge. The core argument is straightforward: robots are getting cheaper than people. Operating costs for humanoid robots in warehouse settings are expected to land under $10 to $12 per hour. The average US warehouse worker costs about $30 per hour. The labor gap robots are built to fill The US manufacturing sector is staring down a genuine workforce crisis. Current unfilled manufacturing job vacancies sit at 462,000, and JPMorgan projects that number to climb to 1.6 million by 2030. JPMorgan estimates humanoid robots could immediately fill about 25% of these manufacturing roles. As the technology matures, that share could reach 50% by the end of the decade. The bank is careful to frame humanoids as complements to human labor rather than outright replacements. The productivity catch, and what it costs Right now, you need roughly two humanoid robots to...