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The largest consumer electronics and information technology (IT) exhibition in Europe, 'IFA 2026', held from September 2 to 8 (local time) in Berlin, Germany, has come to a close. Although it is a consumer electronics exhibition, the highlight of this year's event was humanoid robots, which showcased everything from runway performances to boxing and dancing. Especially notable this year, IFA featured humanoid robots as the theme of its innovation technology exhibit, 'IFA NEXT', propelling Chinese companies such as Xiaomi, Agibot, Unitree, and Engine AI to the forefront. The robots danced to music, interacted with visitors, and even performed walking the runway.

However, despite their flashy performances, technological advancement was limited. Most of the robots demonstrated only simple motion actions and did not significantly exceed the level of humanoid robots unveiled at 'CES 2026' in January of this year. While interaction capabilities with humans had advanced somewhat, frequent issues were observed where robots would stop operating due to communication environment problems, or failed to capture human responses instantaneously. Demonstrating robots in exhibition environments, which are crowded or noisy and have many unpredictable variables, still appeared to be a challenge.

On the 5th (local time), a humanoid robot is walking towards the audience on the 'Robots on the Runway' stage at the International Consumer Electronics Fair (IFA) in Germany. Photo by Joon Park.

Robot companies have declared this year as the first year of commercializing humanoid robots and announced that, starting this year, they have entered the demonstration stage, including the actual introduction of industrial robots into factories. However, such developments were difficult to observe at the IFA exhibition. On-site, it was hard to verify whether robots introduced in factories were actually producing tangible industrial results. Demonstrating the real-world applications of robots in factories and their actual outcomes—rather than impressive performances—appeared to be more necessary for proving commercialization.

The consumer electronics industry's fascination with humanoids is also closely related to the stagnant growth of traditional consumer electronics markets such as TVs and refrigerators. With the need to seek new growth engines and even the previously lucrative premium home appliance market being quickly caught up by Chinese companies, it has become increasingly difficult for the industry to find new revenue sources outside of robotics. In reality, domestic electronics companies have begun accelerating their development of robot technologies. LG Electronics promoted its home robot 'CLOiD' at the IFA exhibition, and Samsung Electronics is also focusing its R&D efforts in order to unveil robots at next year's CES 2027.

Photo of the "IFA Next" exhibition hall at IFA 2026 on the 5th (local time). Photo by Jun Park.

However, as seen at recent CES and IFA events, it may take longer for humanoid robots to become a reality. This means there are limitations for the consumer electronics industry to fully commit to robotics as an immediate future business driver. In fact, robotics experts candidly admit there is still significant debate as to whether bipedal humanoid robots should be adopted in factories and households. Not only is it unclear if the robots offer enough value to replace humans, given the need for advanced technology, but also safety and security concerns require careful consideration. This could result in even greater costs and effort than expected.

On the 5th (local time), a humanoid robot by Chinese robotics company Agibot was exhibited at the 'IFA Next' pavilion within IFA 2026. Photo by Jun Park.

In times of urgency, prudence is even more important. The need for new business opportunities does not justify jumping hastily into a market where technology is not yet fully matured. There are still many hurdles before humanoid robots can enter households. Rather than flashy performances, proving how useful humanoids truly are in real industrial environments, whether they provide more value than today’s industrial robots, and whether they can be safely used may be the key to accelerating the commercialization of humanoid robots.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.