Robotics is entering a new phase.
After years of experimentation, pilot projects and proof-of-concept deployments, robotech is steadily moving from the edges of industry into its operational core. Robotech is no longer on the periphery of of modern tech.
By 2026, the question for many organisations will no longer be whether robots can work at scale, but how deeply they should be embedded into everyday processes.
Advances in AI, autonomy and hardware design are converging at a moment when businesses are under pressure to improve efficiency, resilience and return on investment. And at the same time, labour volatility, energy costs and supply chain uncertainty are forcing companies to think differently about automation than they ever have before. That means that rather than chasing mere novelty, many are now prioritising systems that can operate reliably, adapt to change and support human teams over the long term. It’s about veering away from what’s just exciting and flashy – it’s about building a future for robotics.
Looking ahead, the future of robotics appears less about spectacle and more about quiet capability – machines that blend into operations, make better decisions autonomously, and fundamentally reshape how work gets done across manufacturing, logistics and beyond.
From Automation to Autonomy
One of the most significant shifts expected by 2026 is the move from simple automation toward more autonomous systems.
Early robotics focused on repeatable, tightly controlled tasks. The next generation is being designed to operate in dynamic, unpredictable environments, interpreting context and adjusting behaviour in real time.
As AI and robotic control systems mature together, robots are becoming better at navigating complex spaces, handling variability and managing exceptions without constant human intervention. This doesn’t mean fully hands-off operations everywhere – not at all. But, it does suggest a future where fleets of robots can run routine processes with minimal oversight, escalating only genuinely unusual situations to human teams.
Crucially, autonomy is also changing how decisions are made. Instead of overwhelming operators with alerts and raw data, emerging systems are expected to interpret information, prioritise issues and recommend next steps. This shift from visibility to decision-support could redefine operational roles, allowing humans to focus on strategy, supervision and improvement rather than constant manual intervention.
Reliability, Resilience and the Long Game
While much of the conversation around robotics centres on advanced capabilities, the defining factor for adoption in 2026 may be reliability. Businesses are increasingly treating robotics as core infrastructure rather than experimental technology. Systems that deliver predictable performance, stable uptime and clear returns are likely to be favoured over those that promise cutting-edge features but introduce risk.
This mindset reflects broader economic realities. Uncertainty is no longer an occasional disruption but a permanent condition. In response, organisations are looking to robotics not just for productivity gains, but as a buffer against labour shortages, demand swings and operational volatility. Flexible, scalable systems that can grow with proven processes are becoming more attractive than bespoke, one-off solutions.
At the same time, robotics is expected to become less visible as time goes on and the tech improves.
As tools mature, they fade into the background, supporting people on the floor rather than replacing them outright. The most successful implementations will most likely be those that augment human capability, simplify workflows and enable teams to manage increasingly complex operations with confidence.
Perhaps, as we move into 2026, robotech will end up beking defined not by what it can do, but by how seamlessly it fits into the fabric of everyday work.
Here’s what the experts have to say on the matter.
Our Experts:
- Matt Moseman: CEO of DEVELOP LLC
- Dr. Marcus Scheunemann: Head of Autonomy at Dexory
- Divya Gautam: Head of AI, Dexory
- Duncan Ferguson: Vice President for Commercial and Industrial Printing, Epson Europe B.V. and Managing Director for Epson UK
- Rick Faulk: CEO of Locus Robotics
- Simon Jones: UK Sales Executive at Exotec
- James Hall: Co-Founder of Parallax
James Hall, Co-Founder of Parallax
“I am confident we’ll see robotics making a transformative impact in industrial-scale recycling in 2026. Textile waste is one of the biggest environmental and economic time-bombs, the UK alone discards 744,000 tonnes of non-reusable textiles every year, with no viable solution other than incineration, landfill, or dumping overseas.
“Robotic technology has been proven to work in this field, but the challenge has been to scale it beyond lab level. I’m acting as an advisor to the University of Huddersfield on a project that has made significant strides to address this.
“We’ve trained AI models on data extracted from cotton and polyester fabrics using spectrophotometric analysis, which can distinguish between natural and synthetic fabrics.
“We are now achieving accuracy rates consistently above 90%, which, as analysis speeds constantly improve, will enable robots to identify and sort waste materials at an industrial scale.
“Such tech will have wider commercial applications: we’re moving beyond robotic arms into full size robotic humanoids to trial in active warehouses later this year.”
Matt Moseman, CEO of DEVELOP LLC
“In 2026, robotics will blend into the background, and rightfully so. The real change will show up in how companies make automation decisions. Teams will spend less time chasing new robot types and more time focusing on where automation actually creates growth.
“Collaborative robots, packaging and palletizing systems, and automated material handling will continue to grow as labor pressure and reshoring push factories to stabilize output. AI will lower the barrier to programming and adjustment, but solid engineering will still decide whether a system holds up over time. Reliability, serviceability, and clear failure behavior will matter more than raw capability.
“Humanoids will keep advancing, though most practical value in 2026 will come from systems designed to do specific jobs extremely well. Production environments reward consistency and uptime.
“The companies that move ahead will treat robotics as long-term infrastructure. Build systems that run every day, support the people on the floor, and scale when the process is proven.”
Duncan Ferguson, Vice President for Commercial and Industrial Printing, Epson Europe B.V. and Managing Director for Epson UK
“In 2026, UK manufacturers will focus heavily on improving efficiency, resilience, and return on investment. Robotic technologies that reduce energy consumption, cut material waste, shorten production cycles, and simplify workflows will continue to attract capital because they deliver immediate, measurable operational benefits.
“Businesses will invest in these more adaptive systems to improve productivity, address labour constraints, and recover materials more efficiently. UK manufacturers that succeed will be those that embed efficiency at the core of their production strategies, making cleaner, smarter manufacturing commercially viable within the fiscal structures already in place.”
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Dr. Marcus Scheunemann, Head of Autonomy, Dexory
“2026 will mark a significant step towards full autonomy for robots. Advances in AI paired with increasingly sophisticated robotic control systems are allowing autonomous machines to interpret their surroundings more precisely and manage unpredictable situations better. As these technologies mature together, we will see a noticeable shift in what autonomous robots can reliably handle without human input.
“This shift will pave the way for organisations to operate entire fleets with far less day-to-day oversight. If this pace continues, it’s fair to say we will reach a point where most routine operational tasks could run independently, with only very unusual scenarios still requiring human support. Achieving this level of autonomy within the next two to three years would set a new standard for how autonomous systems perform in real-world environments and represent a significant milestone for the entire robotics sector.”
Divya Gautam, Head of AI, Dexory
“2026 will be the year the warehouse becomes ‘agentic’. The industry will move beyond passive visibility, where AI surfaces endless unprioritised alerts, to active intelligence where autonomous systems interpret context, reasons, and recommend the next best action. Competitive advantage will shift to warehouses that turn raw data into autonomous decision-support by using AI agents that collaborate with human teams to resolve issues faster and more accurately.”
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Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics
“Operational Confidence in an Era of Uncertainty:
“2025 has shown that uncertainty is now a permanent part of running a modern fulfillment operation. Labor volatility, fluctuating demand, and rising cost pressures are forcing retailers and 3PLs to reevaluate how they build resilience into their networks.
“In 2026, the companies that pull ahead will be those who invest in automation that delivers true operational confidence by providing predictable performance, stable uptime, and the ability to flexibly scale without added risk. As customers and investors demand proven reliability over experimentation, the market will reward robotics platforms that reduce volatility and deliver measurable ROI from day one.”
Simon Jones: UK Sales Executive at Exotec
“For tailor-made warehouse robotics, the next frontier isn’t just automation, but autonomous orchestration. While early AI focused on static forecasting, we are now shifting toward deep reinforcement learning and edge computing.
“Machine-learning algorithms are no longer just fed data; they are now performing real-time spatial reasoning. By integrating computer vision with dynamic path optimisation, robotic systems can navigate complex, high-density environments with really short latency. This doesn’t just make warehouses ‘stable’, it turns them into elastic infrastructures capable of absorbing extreme volatility in SKU velocity.
“In the logistics sector, we see a fundamental shift: robotics is transitioning from a tool for productivity to a strategic buffer against labor volatility. We aren’t just replacing manual tasks; we are deploying Collaborative Robotics (Cobots) that augment human capability. The future workforce isn’t just ‘transitioning’; they are becoming Fleet Orchestrators, managing complex robotic ecosystems that were unthinkable a decade ago.”
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