Experts have warned about the risk of a "bubble" in the household robot market

The global consumer robotics industry is facing overheating concerns: Chinese authorities and investors in the United States doubt the demand for androids and robobacks, while investments in the sector amount to billions of dollars. On January 28, RBC reported on the risks to the market and the prospects of the industry in Russia and abroad.

"Today, there is not a single large-scale commercial project with humanoid robots in the world that would bring sustainable financial returns. So far, such robots demonstrate engineering and marketing capabilities rather than solving applied tasks for which consumers are willing to pay well," Ivan Rodionov, managing partner of the Rodionoff group and accelerator expert at the Skolkovo Foundation, told the publication.

The reason for the discussion was the statement of the National Development and Reform Commission of the People's Republic of China, which indicated that about 150 Chinese companies produce similar household robots, focused more on HYPE than on real demand. The ministry stressed that the state should curb the flow of similar devices that divert resources from applied engineering solutions. At the same time, China remains the world leader in industrial robotics, and Beijing has a $14 billion state fund to support AI and automation projects.

Investor interest has grown sharply after high-profile presentations of humanoids, including the Unitree G1 model worth about $16,000, as well as robot performances on a TV show in 2025. Last year, according to RBC estimates, more than $5 billion was invested in Chinese startups in the field of humanoid machines, and the industry stock index added about 30%. Similar trends are observed in the United States, where new models of home androids with a price tag of $20,000 have entered the market, but experts doubt their practical benefits.

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Analysts warn that excessive investments can lead to a wave of bankruptcies and inefficient use of resources. Vasily Kutyin, Ingo Bank's Director of Analytics, noted that capital is being spent on projects based on inflated expectations, which threatens to have social consequences and slow down the development of traditional industries. According to him, even the successes of individual players do not guarantee the sustainability of the entire segment.

According to the Russian Association of Robotics, there are up to 150 manufacturers in Russia, but they rely mainly on applied solutions — robots for mine clearance, logistics and industry. Some companies, including Promobot and Sber projects, are already exporting developments abroad, but investors remain cautious and the market is limited.

Experts agree that natural selection awaits the sector in the coming years: some companies will leave the market, but technological developments may find application in related fields, from medicine to energy. RBC notes that such "bubbles" have appeared more than once in the history of high technology, and although they led to losses for investors, it was during such periods that the foundation for future breakthroughs was laid.

On December 24, Artur Zarkhi, CEO of the Robots Corporation, spoke about the main problem of Russian robotics. While striving to become one of the world leaders in industrial robotics, the main challenge for Russian enterprises remains the shortage of qualified engineers, which can slow down the technological breakthrough. The expert said that this area is developing unevenly and the country is still inferior to the world leaders in terms of robot density, but over the past two or three years, more and more companies have begun to introduce technologies, primarily in the automotive and metalworking industries, where robots compensate for the shortage of personnel.

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