24 n ROBOTICS March 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com Five key trends for robots in 2025 The robotics industry stands on the threshold of transformative change. Over the past two years, arti cial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally altered how we view technology, evolving from a buzzword into a cornerstone of business operations for the future. The focus is now shifting from innovation to practical applications that are poised to reshape industries worldwide. It's no surprise that AI continues to dominate, especially in the world of robotics. Robots that were once restricted to simple, repetitive tasks in controlled environments, are now equipped to comprehend and perform sophisticated operations autonomously. This is reshaping industries and rede ning the future of work in profound ways. My ve key predictions for the robotics industry this year are: 1. The maturation of AI 2025 will be a pivotal year for AI, marking its transition from hype to practical implementation. Over the past few years, AI start-ups have emerged at a rapid pace, but this year, we’ll see some consolidation and integration. Yes, there’ll still be plenty of exciting new entrants, but also more re ned, mature solutions. AI will also become more normalised. It will no longer be seen as a standalone technology, but rather as an embedded feature, enhancing existing systems. During AI’s earlier “hype years”, applications were often explicitly branded as AI-driven. In the coming year, we will see AI take on the role of a quiet enabler – a powerful tool supercharging and enhancing functionality subtly in the background. Take, for example, Ocado’s use of cobots. They are not marketed an “AI solution”, but as a logistics pick-and-place system that happens to use AI. The next wave of AI is going to be physical too. AI that understands the laws of physics can adapt to unforeseen challenges, and navigate dynamic, real-world environments. We started to see this already last year, but the wave will grow much bigger in 2025. By embedding physical AI into robotics, we will open the door to systems that go beyond simply processing data, looking instead to interact meaningfully with the physical world, reshaping industries – and paving the way for my second prediction. 2. Expanding uses away from manufacturing For decades, robots were con ned to industrial settings, but we’re now starting to see them move out into broader applications. While humanoid robots might be the best-known example – despite being some way from commercial viability – collaborative robots, or cobots, are making their mark across industries. Take lm and TV production, for example. By the end of the year, there’s a good chance you’ll have watched a movie, TV show, or commercial where cobots controlled the camera. A great example of a company adopting this approach is UK-based MRMC (Mark Roberts Motion Control), which produces cobot-based camera systems. 2025 could be a pivotal year for robotics. As AI matures and robots address new challenges outside of industry, we will see them paving the way to a future that is safer, more e cient and collaborative. Anders Billesø Beck, vice-president of technology at Universal Robots, identi es ve key trends for the coming year. Robots are increasingly nding applications outside traditional areas of industry, such as Canvas’ wall- nishing system
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