Insider Brief
- Industrial robot installations in the United States rose 11% in 2025 to 38,000 units, according to the International Federation of Robotics, driven by growing adoption beyond automotive manufacturing and a 30% increase in installations in the food industry.
- The automotive sector remained the largest robotics market with 13,500 installations, while the United States improved its robot density ranking to eighth globally with 307 industrial robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers.
- The IFR said demand for automation is expected to remain strong as manufacturers address labor shortages and reshore production, while industry groups push for a national robotics strategy to accelerate U.S. adoption of robotics and physical AI technologies.
Industrial robot installations in the United States rose 11% in 2025, reaching 38,000 units as demand expanded beyond traditional manufacturing sectors, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
“The United States are back on the growth track,” noted IFR president Takayuki Ito. “While automotive achieved its third-best result in seven years, the data highlights a growing demand for flexible automation in the food industry: Adoption in this sector surged by 30%, now ranking alongside metal and machinery and electrical-electronics, all with approximately 3,000 installations in 2025.”
The automotive industry remained the largest user of industrial robots, accounting for 13,500 installations, according to the IFR. That total was down just 1% from the previous year and represented the industry’s third-best result in seven years, according to the IFR.
The IFR said the data suggests automation investments are broadening beyond automotive manufacturing as companies in a wider range of industries look to address labor shortages and improve productivity.
The United States also improved its standing in robot density, a measure of automation based on the number of industrial robots in operation per 10,000 manufacturing workers. The country reached a density of 307 robots per 10,000 employees in 2025, moving up to eighth place globally.
In the United States, interest in a coordinated national robotics policy is also growing. The Association for Advancing Automation recently published a proposal for a National Robotics Strategy that includes the creation of a Federal Robotics Office, workforce development initiatives, updated safety standards and incentives aimed at accelerating adoption of domestically developed robotics technologies.
Robot Density
The United States had 307 industrial robots in operation for every 10,000 manufacturing employees in 2025, ranking eighth globally and moving up two spots from the previous year, according to the IFR.
Selected robot density rankings (robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers):
- China: 166
- South Korea: 1,220
- Germany: 449
- Japan: 446
- United States: 307
China
While the U.S. market grew, China continued to dominate the global robotics market by volume. According to IFR estimates, China installed about 295,000 industrial robots in 2024, accounting for 54% of global demand. The federation estimates China’s 2025 installations were roughly ten times higher than those in the United States, though final figures have not yet been released.
The IFR attributed China’s growth to a decade-long national robotics strategy and the country’s latest five-year plan, which places robotics and physical AI at the center of industrial modernization efforts.
Looking ahead, the IFR said the outlook for automation investment in North America remains positive as manufacturers continue reshoring production and contend with persistent shortages of skilled workers. The organization said it expects demand for industrial robots to continue expanding as automation adoption spreads across a broader range of industries.
Updated North American robot installation figures will be presented by IFR Vice President Jane Heffner at Automate 2026 in Chicago on une 24.
Image credit: International Federation of Robotics
