A global competition is currently ongoing to integrate robotics into our daily routines, with a new wave of AI-driven robots offering enhanced flexibility.
The rapid progress in artificial intelligence has led to the adoption of robots for various tasks, such as assisting humans in warehouses, delivering parcels in urban areas, and conducting inspections in hazardous locations.
Furthermore, robots are now capable of learning on the job, and experts warn that Canada could miss out on opportunities if it does not embrace this adoption at this crucial juncture.
If there’s a trendy term in artificial intelligence today, it’s “physical AI,” which was prominently showcased at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
The concept behind physical AI is that systems equipped with sensors, such as robots, autonomous vehicles, or industrial machinery, can operate logically and responsively in the real world when combined with current AI approaches.
During CES, Google and Boston Dynamics, an American robotics company, announced a collaboration to test AI-powered robots at Hyundai auto plants, including two models of a robot called Atlas.
Although experts acknowledge that we are still far from having general-purpose humanoid robots that might one day perform household chores like washing dishes and folding laundry, we are witnessing a shift of AI into tangible applications in the physical realm.
Traditionally, robots have been programmed in a top-down manner to execute specific sequences of actions, suitable for controlled environments with repetitive tasks, as seen in factory settings.
However, employing a bottom-up approach, similar to the successful generative AI methods, enables robots to be trained in a more “plug and play” fashion, allowing them to learn dynamically during operations.
This new approach not only facilitates quicker adaptation by robots but also enables them to perform more complex tasks, reaching levels of reasoning and decision-making, as noted by Raquel Urtasun, a computer science professor at the University of Toronto and the CEO of Waabi, an autonomous trucking company.
For machines operating in dynamic environments, like autonomous vehicles, training can be conducted in virtual simulations, as demonstrated at Waabi, where a realistic simulator, akin to the actual world, was developed for self-driving purposes.
China Leading Innovation and Adoption in Robotics
Experts highlight that Canada is trailing behind as robotics technology reaches a critical phase, with China emerging as a global leader in the industry.
According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), over half of the world’s industrial robots installed in 2024, approximately 295,000 units, were located in China.
While China previously relied on imported robotics, the country is now rapidly transitioning to domestic production, placing it ahead of other nations.
“China is accelerating its manufacturing capabilities, not only for domestic markets but also for global expansion,” stated Susanne Bieller, the IFR’s general secretary.
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