Source: The Next Web
China's 150+ humanoid robot makers shipped 90% of global units in 2025, but only 23% of buyers are satisfied—a typical overcapacity pattern where volume masks product-market fit failures. The gap between manufacturing scale and customer utility indicates the industry is building to specification rather than to need, leaving two paths forward: consolidation around differentiated players, or vertical integration where manufacturers operate their own robots to enforce accountability. Competitive advantage belongs to whoever demonstrates measurable economic value in specific workflows, not whoever ships the most units.