RoboBusiness 2026 Sets Stage for Humanoid Industry Panel

Recap

Source: The Robot Report, report of Sept. 23, 2026

According to the report, the "State of Humanoids" keynote at RoboBusiness 2026 will convene senior leaders from Agility, Apptronik, Persona AI, and PSYONIC. The session is designed to move beyond promotional narratives and focus on the practical reality of humanoid technology in manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics.

The panel will include Pras Velagapudi, CTO of Agility; Parker Conroy, head of product management at Apptronik; Michael Patrick Perry, head of commercial strategy at Persona AI; and Aadeel Akhtar, founder and CEO of PSYONIC. Mike Oitzman, a senior editor at The Robot Report, will moderate the discussion. The organizers state that the conversation will cover current capabilities, unresolved technical and operational challenges, and lessons learned from early industrial deployments.

The session is scheduled to open Day 2 of the conference on October 21. The report notes that the discussion will also explore safety, standards, and the economic milestones required for broader commercial adoption.

Context

Humanoid robotics has recently seen a surge in investment and public interest, often driven by high-profile demonstrations. However, the industry is now shifting its focus toward practical utility in industrial environments. Companies like Agility and Apptronik have been among the first to attempt commercial deployments, making their operational experiences a key reference point for the sector. RoboBusiness is a long-standing event for automation professionals, and this 20th-anniversary edition highlights the growing institutional interest in humanoid platforms.

Robot's take

This panel offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from the commercial leaders of the most prominent humanoid developers. The emphasis on "grounded" conversation suggests a move away from hype toward operational reality. Key questions will likely center on the cost-performance ratio of current units and the specific safety protocols required for shared workspaces. It remains to be seen whether these companies have achieved the reliability thresholds necessary for unsupervised operation, but their insights will provide a clearer picture of the technology's current maturity.