Global corporations are ramping up investments in humanoids and artificial intelligence, pouring massive capital into productivity gains. Experts predict the "labor shift"—the transition of production from human workers to robots—will arrive sooner than expected.
According to year-end results and 2025 investment plans from Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta, the four Big Tech giants spent $374.6 billion on AI infrastructure capital expenditure last year. That figure is projected to exceed $590 billion this year.
AI infrastructure investments include not only data centers but also physical AI and humanoid-related projects, suggesting a substantial portion will flow into AI robotics. Tesla plans to convert its Fremont, California plant into a production facility for its Optimus humanoid robot, allocating a significant share of this year's capital spending to the project.
As mega-corporations increase investments, funding for humanoid startups is also surging. Startup intelligence firm Tracxn reports that autonomous robot startups attracted approximately $7 billion in investment last year. In 2025, $17.9 billion has already flowed into the sector before the first quarter ended.
The investment boom reflects companies' urgency to deploy humanoids in production as quickly as possible to boost productivity. The more they invest, the faster commercialization becomes—and firms are racing to seize hegemony in future industries.
However, labor experts warn that workers must prepare as the timeline for job displacement accelerates.
"Finding work domains where humans can contribute is most important," said Lee Ji-man, professor at Yonsei University School of Business. "The moment we believe AI and robots will take all human jobs, we lose the ability to find solutions."