Physical AI Powering the New Age of Industrial Operations 2025

Images: Getty Images, Midjourney Disclaimer This document is published by the World Economic Forum as a contribution to a project, insight area or interaction. The findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are a result of a collaborative process facilitated and endorsed by the World Economic Forum but whose results do not necessarily represent the views of the World Economic Forum, nor the entirety of its Members, Partners or other stakeholders. © 2025 World Economic Forum. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system.Contents Foreword 3 Executive summary 4 Introduction 5 1 What’s new: Breakthroughs in intelligent robotics 6 1.1 Technological breakthroughs redefining robotic capabilities 6 1.2 Enhanced capabilities enabling end-to-end automation 7 1.3 Limitations yet to be resolved 10 2 Where it is working: Frontier applications 11 2.1 Revolutionizing the manufacturing value chain 12 2.2 Spotlight on the pioneers – transformation journeys 13 of early adopters 3 How it scales: Technology platforms and partnerships 16 3.1 The new physical AI technology stack 16 3.2 Strategic partnerships are essential 17 4 Who leads it: Empowering the new industrial workforce 18 4.1 A target picture for robotics and workforce development 18 4.2 A shift in skills and roles 18 4.3 The new workforce imperatives 20 Conclusion: Time for action 21 Contributors 22 Endnotes 25 2 Physical AI: Powering the New Age of Industrial Operations