Over 1,300 attendees from European research, industry, and politics, with more than 60 sponsors and an extensive program on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI): The top-class European Robotics Forum (ERF) of euRobotics, the European Robotics Association, will take place in Stuttgart’s Liederhalle from March 25-27, 2025. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with Fraunhofer IPA and Fraunhofer IAO, the University of Stuttgart and Cyber Valley are cooperation partners. The state capital Stuttgart and other partners also support ERF. 

The global installed base of commercial and industrial robots is projected to reach 16.3 million by 2030 as manufacturers address labor shortages exacerbated by the retirement of baby boomers, according to a report by ABI Research. This demographic shift, combined with a declining interest in manufacturing careers among younger generations, has contributed to over 600,000 unfilled positions in the U.S. manufacturing sector as of January 2024, based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Project Eliza Wakes Up has announced the launch of pre-orders for its humanoid AI robot, Eliza. Developed by Ryze Labs and powered by the ElizaOS operating system, the robot integrates AI, blockchain, and advanced robotics to provide personalized, human-like companionship. The project represents an effort to merge digital intelligence with physical form, featuring a robot equipped with emotional intelligence and capabilities to interact in natural, conversational ways.

ABB Robotics has unveiled AppStudio, a no-code software tool designed to simplify the creation of customized user interfaces for ABB robots and collaborative robots (cobots). The tool is aimed at reducing setup times by up to 80% and is compatible with all ABB robots operating on the OmniCore controller platform.

Gartner has identified a range of trends that are expected to shape the automotive industry in 2025. The sector is navigating challenges including evolving emission regulations, geopolitical tensions, and a significant shift toward electrification and software integration, according to a new report released by the company.

oToBrite Electronics, developer of Vision-AI technologies, has announced the expansion of its portfolio into broader autonomy applications. The company, which has previously focused on Level 2+ Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) for passenger and commercial vehicles, is now targeting self-driving trucks, delivery robots, autonomous logistics, smart agriculture, and unmanned vehicles. This development was revealed at the Automotive World 2025 exhibition.

NEURA Robotics, a Germany-based company specializing in cognitive and humanoid robotics, has announced the successful completion of a €120 million Series B funding round. The investment was led by Lingotto Investment Management, with participation from BlueCrest Capital Management, Volvo Cars Tech Fund, InterAlpen Partners, Vsquared Ventures, HV Capital, Delta Electronics, C4 Ventures, L-Bank, company founder David Reger, and other investors.

Gartner has projected that by 2027, 40% of power and utility companies will deploy AI-driven operators in control rooms. This shift is anticipated to lower risks associated with human error while presenting new challenges in cyber-physical system security. According to Gartner’s 2025 CIO and Technology Executive Survey, 94% of chief information officers (CIOs) in the sector plan to increase AI investments in 2025, with an average spending growth of 38.3%.

Mitsubishi Electric has introduced MELSOFT VIXIO, an AI-powered visual inspection software, designed to transform quality assurance processes across industries. The software provides advanced defect detection while being accessible to users without programming expertise.

The global robotic welding cell market is projected to grow significantly, reaching an estimated $3.72 billion by 2031 from $1.51 billion in 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.9% over the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the increasing adoption of Industry 4.0, a rising focus on automation in manufacturing, and the expanding automotive industry.