​AI is still in its infancy in real-world applications of robotics. Traditionally, automotive and electronics manufacturers – the main adopters of industrial robots – have looked for precision, speed, and predictability from their robot. Achieving these characteristics does not require AI. Increasingly, however, manufacturers operate in an environment of high variability, producing small quantities of a large range of products, often ordered at short notice. Re-programming robots each time to fit new production or packaging lines is costly.

AI is also starting to be used in optimizing process design and robot programming and is increasingly adopted in robotic quality inspection.

This paper looks at the most common uses of AI in commercial robotic applications and discusses market trends. It also discusses safety standards and regulation for AI in robotics.