International Federation of Robotics President Jane Heffner says physical AI is now real on factory floors. AI-powered autonomy lets robots perceive variability and adapt in changing environments. 3D vision guides robots in real time to locate parts and correct paths on moving lines. These capabilities expand automation into high-mix, less structured applications. New foundation models allow robots to learn tasks from a single demonstration. This reduces the programming time traditionally required for variable applications.
What changed
Industrial robots followed fixed, pre-programmed paths for decades.
What it unlocks
Robots can now perceive variability, adapt movements and operate reliably in changing environments.
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