Arab News | Saudi push gathers pace as global humanoid robot sales total 7,000

RIYADH: About 7,000 humanoid robots were sold worldwide in 2025 for use in industrial applications and professional services, according to data compiled by the International Federation of Robotics, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

 

The Frankfurt-based federation said this sales total was recorded amid forecasts of rapid growth in the coming years, and reports that robotics was attracting billions of dollars in investment as companies push beyond pilots toward real-world deployment.

 

Against that global backdrop, momentum is building in Saudi Arabia to deploy humanoid technology at scale through partnerships and industrial programs, in a market that remains primarily oriented toward business-to-business and government sales rather than consumer retail purchases.

 

A showroom displaying cutting-edge humanoid robots has opened in Riyadh, with 10,000 of the machines to be deployed in industries across Saudi Arabia over the next five years.

 

The showroom is a partnership between the UK-based AI and robotics company Humanoid and Saudi Arabia’s QSS AI & Robotics, and is open to the public at QSS’ Riyadh headquarters.

 

Named the Humanoid Lounge, it offers live demonstrations, workshops and public interaction with the robots.

 

As part of the partnership, Humanoid and QSS have established a pre-order framework for up to 10,000 humanoid units over five years, marking one of the largest commitments to humanoid robotics in the Middle East.

 

QSS will oversee local assembly at the Riyadh Robotics Factory, enabling rapid broad deployment across manufacturing, logistics, energy, retail and public infrastructure.

 

“Saudi Arabia is moving faster than any region in the world to integrate humanoid robotics into industrial use,” said Artem Sokolov, founder and CEO of Humanoid, in a statement recently reported by Arab News.

 

Sara, the first Saudi-made humanoid robot, was introduced in early 2023 and has since become a familiar presence on major TV channels and at events.

 

“Our Saudi-made humanoid robots — Sara, Mohamad, and Saud — stand as a clear expression of (the Kingdom’s) vision,” Elie Metri, CEO and executive board member at QSS AI & Robotics, told Arab News in April 2026.

 

The IFR’s figures show that about 542,000 traditional industrial robots were sold in 2024, alongside an estimated 199,000 service robots used in transport, hospitality and cleaning in the same year.

 

Susanne Bieller, general-secretary of the IFR said, according to the SPA, that humanoid robots still represent a small share of the total number of robots worldwide.