Trend Trend 6: AI leaves the screen and acts on the physical world

Summary

The sixth selected trend puts models into machines. Robots, drones, vehicles and connected devices sense their surroundings, decide and act, combining sensors and actuators with models so that physical tasks are carried out rather than only recommended.

Classification

Main topicSpace & Mobility

Secondary topicsLabor & Future of Work AI & Computing

Region menusGlobal

Impactscope:global

Time horizon0-3 years (2026-07-26)

Last updated2026-07-29 04:49:52

Evidence 1

Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2026 Gartner, Inc. page=16;section=6 Physical AI 2025 accessed 2026-07-26

Observed signals 2

SignalReport forecasts 80 percent of warehouses using robotics or automation by 2028
SignalReport forecasts half of the top 10 AI vendors selling physical AI products by 2028

Part of issues 2

IssuePhysical AI is argued entirely from productivity, with warehouses standing in for the whole domain1 trends · 0 signals
IssueTheme 2 The Synthesist: whether diverse technologies can be orchestrated into one ecosystem3 trends · 1 signals

Relation types: constitutes · supports

Public id: fm-f3759e90e3ca