Physical AI and the Next Frontier of Robotics

• AI leaves the screen: Deloitte’s Tech Trends 2026 report highlights the emergence of “physical AI”, which describes systems that move beyond digital outputs to perceive, reason, and act within the physical world through robots and embodied machines.

• From automation to autonomy: Advances in sensors, foundation models, and edge compute are enabling robots to adapt to dynamic environments rather than executing rigid, pre-programmed tasks.

• Manufacturing as the proving ground: Factories and logistics networks are likely to be the first large-scale environments where physical AI is deployed, turning robots from single-purpose tools into learning systems that continuously improve through interaction with the real world.

Source: “AI goes physical: Navigating the convergence of AI and robotics”