Factory trials begin for humanoid robots that can build more of themselves

Feb 28, 2025

Apptronik partners with Jabil to trial Apollo robots for self-replication by 2026.

Factory trials begin for humanoid robots that can build more of themselves

: Apptronik, an Austin-based company, has partnered with Jabil for a pilot to test the real-world capabilities of its Apollo humanoid robots. The deal aims to validate these robots in factory settings, eventually leading to their self-replication by 2026. This automation trend raises concerns about job impacts, but Apptronik claims it will allow humans to focus on more creative tasks.

Austin-based company Apptronik has entered a pilot partnership with Jabil to test its Apollo humanoid robots in a real-world factory environment. The 5-foot 8-inch robots designed for repetitive tasks will undergo validation testing ahead of potential manufacturing scaling.

These robots, with a 55-pound payload and 4-hour runtime per battery pack, are set to be produced by Jabil if the trial is successful. The objective is to eventually enable these robots to self-replicate by 2026, which sparks discourse on automation's impact on employment.

While some express concern over job disruptions, Apptronik believes its robots will free up time for human workers to engage in more creative and thought-intensive projects. This initiative follows a previous collaborative agreement with Mercedes-Benz and mirrors BMW's similar adoption of humanoid robots.