The Humanoid Robot Bubble Is Getting Hard To Ignore

Humanoid robots are advancing fast—but are investor expectations inflating a bubble? A look at the hype, forecasts, and what comes next.

Jan 12, 2026

The hype dial on humanoid robots went to 11 last week when Boston Dynamics unveiled the product version of its new Atlas robot at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The robot was also featured in a 60 Minutes segment last Sunday, which you can watch below. The segment shows the robot in action in an automotive plant setting.

I have to admit, it’s very impressive, especially when you compare this Atlas robot to humanoid robots from just 2-3 years ago.

Maybe it’s this leap in progress that is making investors so bullish on humanoid robots.

How Big is the “Zombie Inventory” Problem?

For years, companies shifted from Just-in-Time to Just-in-Case, stocking up to survive disruption. Now demand has leveled off, but many warehouses are still packed with slow-moving, no-longer-needed items. This “Zombie Inventory” ties up space, working capital, and attention. This survey sought to understand how big this problem is across the industry.

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