Physical AI governance lags as robotics market hits 542k installs
international federation of robotics reported 542,000 industrial robots installed in 2024, projecting 700,000 by 2028. google deepmind launched gemini robotics and gemini robotics-er in march 2025 to bridge model output with physical action via spatial reasoning and task planning. developers can access gemini robotics-er 1.6 through the gemini api for embodied ai integration.
The International Federation of Robotics reported 542,000 industrial robot installations in 2024, a figure that is double the volume from a decade ago. Installations are projected to reach 575,000 units in 2025 and surpass 700,000 by 2028. Grand View Research values the Physical AI market at $81.64 billion in 2025, estimating growth to $960.38 billion by 2033.
Google DeepMind introduced the Gemini Robotics and Gemini Robotics-ER models in March 2025. These systems, built on Gemini 2.0, function as vision-language-action models designed to translate natural-language instructions into physical manipulation and spatial reasoning. The subsequent Gemini Robotics-ER 1.6 release in April 2026 added enhanced success detection and task planning, available via the Gemini API for integration into autonomous systems.