Right now, the world is on the cusp of a revolutionary technology breakthrough that could have profound implications for labor markets and society: the emergence of humanoid robots. Driven by advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and automotive-style production scaling, several companies are racing to hit mass-production targets and turn a futuristic, niche concept into a multi-billion-dollar industry.
In this blog, we are going to highlight three key players in the humanoid robotics space that are rapidly moving towards commercial production. With the industry widely expected to shortly experience a major inflection point, these humanoid robot stocks could be worth watching in 2026.
Tesla Expects to Ramp Up Optimus Production Soon
It’s no secret that automotive powerhouse Tesla is a major player in the field of humanoid robotics. It has been working on its Optimus product since 2021 and has made significant technological advances in recent years, transforming Optimus from a slow, conceptual prototype into a more fluid, autonomous humanoid robot.
On Tesla’s Q3 2025 earnings call1, CEO Elon Musk emphasized that Optimus is at the center of the company’s long-term strategy. His view is that the product has massive, transformative potential and that it could redefine global living standards, ending poverty and providing everyone with first-class medical care. According to Musk, Tesla possesses the three “ingredients” no other company has to succeed at scale when it comes to humanoids. These are: real-world AI technology (developed through the Full Self-Driving initiative), exceptional electrical-mechanical engineering capabilities, and the ability to scale production rapidly.
In terms of development timelines, Musk said that Tesla is aiming to unveil an Optimus V3 prototype in early 2026, likely Q1. The production ramp up - designed to hit the company’s goal of producing one million Optimus robots annually - is targeted to begin operation toward the end of 2026. Looking further out, Musk expects to produce 10 million units of Optimus 4 and 50 to 100 million units of Optimus 5. So, he clearly believes that humanoids are going to be a major part of Tesla’s long-term growth story.
It’s worth noting that on the call, Musk acknowledged the immense difficulty of the Optimus project, highlighting two primary challenges. One key challenge is creating a robotic hand and forearm as capable as a human's. Another is the supply chain. This does not exist yet, meaning that Tesla will have to develop a vertically integrated production process for the robot's 10,000+ unique components.
2026 Could Be a Big Year for XPeng’s IRON
While Tesla’s Optimus tends to receive the most media attention, XPeng’s Next-Gen IRON humanoid appears to have just as much potential. Featuring 82 degrees of freedom across its body (including 22 degrees of freedom in its hands), lifelike movement, a brain that is powered by three Turing AI chips, and a solid-state battery, it’s an extremely powerful product.
One thing that sets XPeng’s IRON apart from other companies’ humanoid prototypes - which tend to have gender-neutral designs - is that it can be customized. With this product, there are different options for sex, body shape, and skin. This is part of a vision to make the robot feel "warmer” and “more intimate" as it eventually moves into households. XPeng has also extended the “three laws of robotics” by adding a fourth law for its platform, which is that its robots cannot disclose any human privacy.
At XPeng’s AI Day 2025 event2 on November 5, the company presented a clear, albeit ambitious, roadmap for commercialization. Looking ahead, it is targeting mass production preparation in April 2026, with the goal of full large-scale mass production by the end of the year. In terms of monetization, the company plans to initially prioritize commercial scenarios, providing services such as guided tours, shopping guides, and traffic diversion. The company is also exploring industrial applications - at the AI Day event it announced a partnership with iron and steel company Baosteel to trial the robot in areas such as inspection and intelligent manufacturing. 
Richtech Robotics’ Dex Humanoid is Ready for Pilot Programs
A small US company, Richtech Robotics is not as well known as Tesla or XPeng. But when it comes to humanoid robotics, it has some impressive technology.
Richtech’s flagship humanoid product is called Dex. Launched3 at Nvidia's GTC 2025 conference in Washington, DC on October 28, this is a practical, production-ready robot designed for industrial use. Unlike many other humanoid prototypes, Dex features a wheeled autonomous mobile robot (AMR) base for fast, stable, and energy-efficient transportation. The company has stated that it made a conscious decision to use wheels instead of legs as wheels are more effective for transportation.
The Dex robot can handle a wide range of light and medium-scale industrial tasks, including machine operation, part sorting, quality inspection, and packaging. At Nvidia GTC 2025, Richtech put the robot to work, showcasing its ability to use machinery to assemble custom baseball caps for attendees. Note that Dex is accelerated by the Nvidia Jetson Thor platform for real-time reasoning and utilizes Nvidia Isaac Sim for its "Sim2Real" training pipeline. This technology allows the robot to learn complex tasks virtually before implementing them in a live industrial setting, which speeds up deployment.
At GTC 2025, Richtech stated that Dex is available for pilot programs now. Currently, it is inviting interested businesses to reach out and discuss potential opportunities. The company has stated that as businesses bring manufacturing back to the US, Dex can offer a practical path to higher productivity without increasing labor strain. Not only can it perform complex tasks with detailed precision, but it can also adapt to changes with real-time reasoning.
Other Humanoid Robot Stocks to Watch
It’s worth pointing out that while Tesla, XPeng, and Richtech Robotics are making great progress on the humanoid robotic front, there are many other companies that operate in the space and are having success at present. Other humanoid robot stocks to watch in 2026 include:
Estun Automation: Chinese tech firm Estun Automation has developed the Codroid 02 robot, which is currently undergoing small-batch validation in industrial scenarios.
UBTech Robotics: UBTech recently launched the Walker S2, a next-generation industrial humanoid designed for smart manufacturing, logistics, and factory automation.
Rainbow Robotics: South Korean company Rainbow Robotics has developed the RB-Y1, a semi-humanoid robot that features a human-like torso on a high-speed wheeled platform.
Overall, there are many exciting developments taking place in this area of technology at present. So, the theme could be worth exploring in more detail.
Footnotes:
1Yahoo Finance, Tesla, Inc. (TSLA) Q3 FY2025 earnings call transcript, as of October 22, 2025
2Xpeng, XPENG SHARES ACHIEVEMENTS IN PHYSICAL AI EMERGENCE: UNVEILS XPENG VLA 2.0, ROBOTAXI, NEXT-GEN IRON, AND FLYING CAR, as of November 5, 2025
3Richtech Robotics, Richtech Robotics Offers First Look at Dex: A Mobile Humanoid Robot for Real-World Work, as of October 28, 2025
