Different types of robots have been used across different industries for quite some time, such as welding robots, basically a robotic arm with a tool attached, in automobile manufacturing. Humanoid robots have so far not been used widely, as they are more technically difficult to develop, since they can move in many more ways and do many more things compared to a “simple” robot.

Of course, the versatility and many different things a humanoid robot can do also make them very attractive:

• They aren’t fixed in a single location, unlike a welding robot or similar tool, but can move around throughout a logistics facility, warehouse, or even streets and cities. They work well in environments designed for human workers, as they can use stairs, move in areas designed for humans to move in, and since they can use tools designed for human users. Humanoid robots working alongside human workers is thus not an issue once the technology is ready for wide-scale use.
• Humanoid robots can work in all kinds of environments and do all kinds of work. The same model of robot can package goods in one warehouse, sort packets in another facility, and load packages into vans in another venue. Since the same model can be used in so many different ways, production volumes will likely be high, which brings down per-unit costs.
• Humanoid robots can take over work from humans that is dangerous, laborious, etc., making working conditions for human workers better, while also improving output and volumes across logistics networks. 

It is thus no wonder that many companies are eager to use humanoid robots in their logistics networks. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) is one of the best examples: The company is currently testing the Digit model from Agility Robotics across some of its warehouses, where the robots perform simple and repetitive tasks, such as moving warehouse boxes. Amazon plans to use robots in other areas in the future, thus as last-mile delivery — such as moving a box from a van to a customer’s front porch.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is not a logistics company primarily, but it is working on its own humanoid robot, Optimus, and plans to use it widely in its own logistics tasks, such as handling material, sorting items in its warehouses, and so on.

How Can Investors Benefit From The Use Of Humanoid Robots In Logistics?

Logistics companies, such as Amazon.com or UPS (NYSE: UPS), will likely turn into major users, but investors can also invest in the companies that power this trend from behind the scenes.

For these humanoid robots to work well, a lot of Artificial Intelligence tech is needed: Computer vision so they can take in what’s happening around them, natural language processing so they can communicate with human workers, and of course, the algorithms that run them have to be trained very well to guarantee safe operations.

AI companies that drive these trends, such as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) with its data center chips for training AI algorithms, could thus be among the biggest winners from the humanoid robots in logistics theme that belongs to the wider “Physical AI” trend.

Investors that are interested in broader exposure to the world of tech and Artificial Intelligence should take a look at our top picks.