RISING TIDES
Observations from the IMC Research Process

Humanoids: From Iron Man to Every Man

Humanoids are about to reshape global productivity.

• AI Gets a Body. After transforming the digital world, AI is now stepping into the physical one through humanoid robotics. What once lived on screens is moving into factories, homes, and streets. Morgan Stanley projects humanoid robots could represent a $5 trillion annual revenue market by 2050 on par with the global auto industry today. This isn’t incremental; it’s revolutionary in redefining labor economics.
• The Humanoid Moment. Three forces are colliding:

1. 1. Smarter AI brains — cognitive + physical reasoning via LLMs and vision-language models
   2. Stronger robotic bodies — actuators, sensors, power systems, and dexterous hands
   3. Scalable production — semiconductors, batteries, and cost-efficient integration.

• Winners Already Emerging. Tesla’s Optimus is the headline act, but the supply chain is just as critical. Stocks like Johnson Electric (motors & mechatronics) and Robotis (Korean actuator and modular robotics expert) are early enablers, while NVIDIA dominates with AI training chips that power humanoid learning.

Humanoids won’t replace labor overnight, but they mark a structural shift in productivity. The winners will be those who identify not just the robots—but the supply chains—that turn science fiction into scalable economics.