Robots in the Real World – Oct. 5, 2026

Robotics and physical AI will figure in many CRE settings in the near future; early movers can build a base of operational knowledge

Movies and TV in recent years have imagined more than a few lifelike robots working efficiently in household settings, albeit not always with happy results for their owners as the robots take matters into their own autonomous hands. In the real world, robotics is not quite as advanced but is gradually entering the mainstream, and a new report from JLL sees where this is going.

“For a long time, robotics were bound to future scenarios or limited applications in manufacturing lines and fulfillment centers, not yet making a meaningful impact in commercial real estate,” JLL’s Christine Langston and Yuehan Wang write in Real estate’s next shift is physical AI. “However, this is changing quickly, driven by advances in AI and hardware.”

Thanks to AI, robots can shift from executing pre-determined repetitive tasks to understanding their environment, learning new tasks, and responding in real time. “The concept of physical AI – the integration of sensors, cameras, and machine learning in systems that perceive, decide and act to perform physical work in the real world – is quickly entering the mainstream,” write Langston and Wang.

Different forms of physical AI, including autonomous mobile robots, humanoids and autonomous vehicles, are being piloted across the world, the report states. Citing Forbes, Langston and Wang write that more than 13,000 humanoids were shipped in 2025, with automakers such as Hyundai and Tesla leading early investment in development and factory adoption.

“This momentum is reflected in both employer sentiment and market forecasts,” according to JLL’s report. “The World Economic Forum Future of Jobs 2025 survey found that 58% of employers expect robotics and autonomous systems to drive business transformation in 2025-2030. The overall physical AI market is anticipated to reach about $900 billion by 2035 (Barclays, 2026).”

As a measure of the pace of growth seen in this area, Langston and Wang note that global investment into robotics and physical AI companies grew from $670 million in 2015 to a record of $28 billion raised last year–an increase of more than 4,000%. “This investment signals that the best tech is in development and better performing products are expected in the near future, including robotics better suited to CRE use cases.”

There are implications for real estate in the accelerating pace of change. Given that real estate development can take up to 10 years from inception to operation, “decisions made today will determine how ready a building is for robots roughly a decade out,” write Langston and Wang. “That readiness spans design specifications (corridor widths, floor loads, robot pathways), energy supply (power capacity, charging infrastructure), and operational integration with building management.” 

The proving ground in the built environment could be facilities management (FM), and Langston and Wang note that usage of robotics in this setting has gotten a head start. “While the potential CRE applications are numerous, the first proven pilot ROIs on real sites come from janitorial and landscaping robots,” they write. “This is due to the maturity of the technology, the scalability and size of the work, and therefore the cost savings potential. In addition to longer battery life, the newest machines have better mobility and flexibility, so they no longer need perfect conditions (flat floors, simple floor plans) that previously posed adoption challenges.”

Early movers in real estate are often at an advantage, provided they’re willing to incur the risks of getting in before everyone else does. And so it’s likely to be for robotics and CRE.

“Choosing to pilot robotics early will build operational knowledge, vendor relationships and site-specific data that are needed for successful adoption as physical AI products mature,” write Lanston and Wang. “This accumulated knowledge not only benefits FM, but also broader investors and occupier operations.” Serving as a bellwether is not always the most comfortable stance, but it has its rewards.