It's been 24 years since CNET first published an article with the headline The robots are coming. It's a phrase I've repeated in my own writing over the years -- mostly in jest. But now in 2026, for the first time, I feel confident in declaring that the robots have finally arrived.

Elon Musk admitted on Tesla’s Q4 2025 earnings call today that the company doesn’t have any Optimus robots doing

NEW YORK -- As the new robot called Sprout walks around a Manhattan office, nodding its rectangular head, lifting its windshield wiper-like “eyebrows” and offering to shake your hand with its grippers, it looks nothing like the sleek and intimidating humanoids built by companies like Tesla.

Robots are becoming smarter and more common, but their ability to handle objects with human-like precision remains limited. At Kennesaw State University, new research is enabling robots to better understand movement,

Scientists create smallest programmable robots ever - smaller than salt grains, these breakthrough microscopic machines could revolutionize medicine and healthcare.

Elon Musk said Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots could be available for public purchase by the end of 2027, saying the robots should be reliable, safe and capable of a range of functions.

The Tesla chief said the company plans to sell Optimus robots by the end of 2027 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Even with those limitations, orders for the machines are accelerating. Manufacturers such as BYD and Foxconn, both partners with UBTech, are experimenting with humanoids to offset

Many researchers agree that there has been a step change in humanoid capability over the past five years, owing to cheaper parts as well as innovations such as improved battery power and artificial-intelligence algorithms, which allow for better perception and autonomy.

A practical look at the top robots and humanoids making waves, including Tesla Optimus and Boston Dynamics Atlas.

LG Energy is focusing on AI data centers and humanoid robots to offset slower EV sales.