A chart displaying annual installations of business robots within the U.S. | Supply: IFR
The variety of industrial robotic installations in america rose by 11% yr over yr, in accordance with the Worldwide Federation of Robotics, or IFR. U.S. robotics installations reached 38,000 items in 2025.
Sturdy progress within the meals trade and different non-manufacturing sectors drove this restoration, mentioned the Frankfurt, Germany-based group. Nonetheless, the automotive trade nonetheless stays the most important adopter, reaching 13,500 items, simply 1% under final yr’s consequence.
“The US is again on the expansion monitor,” mentioned Takayuki Ito, the president of the IFR. “Whereas automotive achieved its third-best end in seven years, the information highlights a rising demand for versatile automation within the meals trade: Adoption on this sector surged by 30%, now rating alongside steel and equipment and electrical-electronics, all with roughly 3,000 installations in 2025.”
The diploma of automation within the U.S., as measured by robotic density, stands at 307 industrial robots in use for each 10,000 workers within the manufacturing trade. This locations the U.S. in eighth place worldwide, two ranks up from the earlier yr. The U.S. is behind prime automated nations similar to South Korea (1,220 robots), Germany (449 robots), and Japan (446 robots), however forward of China (166 robots).
U.S. vs. China: The significance of a nationwide robotics technique
Nonetheless, China far outperforms the remainder of the world when it comes to market measurement: Annual installations in China reached 295,000 items in 2024. This represents a world market share of 54%. The IFR has not revealed preliminary outcomes for China 2025 but, however in accordance with its estimates, installations are about 10 instances larger than the quantity within the U.S.
This success story relies on the nation’s nationwide robotics technique, which China launched 10 years in the past. China’s just lately revealed fifteenth 5-Yr Plan (2026–2030) has now positioned robotics on the coronary heart of its trendy industrial system, mentioned the IFR. The purpose is to focus its AI analysis on bodily purposes, with robots being the principle driver of financial progress.
The IFR’s outlook on industrial modernization in North America and the U.S. stays extremely constructive. Accelerating manufacturing unit reshoring initiatives and a persistent scarcity of expert labor drive this outlook. The IFR initiatives a resilient, long-term progress trajectory for the area’s automation sector. This will likely be pushed by producers rising automation investments to mitigate structural workforce gaps, and demand diversifying past conventional sectors.
China’s annual installations of business robots from 2014-2024. | Supply: IFR
A3 advocates for a U.S. robotics technique
The Affiliation for Advancing Automation (A3) has formally offered its “Imaginative and prescient for a Nationwide Robotics Technique” to lawmakers. The commerce group advocates for a framework for a Federal Robotics Workplace and a nationwide fee. These would coordinate coverage with the purpose of harmonizing authorities analysis and fostering public-private partnerships.
The proposed nationwide technique additionally requires market-driven tax incentives, expanded technical workforce retraining, up to date security requirements, and a federal mandate to buy home robotics know-how to speed up industrial deployment.
Submit your session concept for the 2026 RoboBusiness