Industry supply chain sources say 2026 is increasingly being viewed as a potential inflection point for the commercialization of humanoid robots, as more developers complete product development and begin rolling out systems across manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and hospitality operations.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang used his CES 2026 keynote to focus on agentic AI and Physical AI, outlining how the company is extending AI into systems that operate in the physical world. Supply-chain sources said that humanoid robots are viewed as one development direction for Physical AI, with implications for high-performance microcontrollers; however, training remains constrained by scarce and fragmented data.

Rising use of commercial drones in logistics, energy inspection, surveying, and infrastructure monitoring is reshaping demand for microcontrollers and edge-computing components. The shift is pushing suppliers beyond basic motor control and toward higher-performance flight systems.

Taiwan-based microcontroller supplier ARTERY Technology is sharpening its focus on edge artificial intelligence and drone-related applications as it prepares for a planned listing on the Taipei Exchange in late January 2026, seeking growth beyond China's crowded MCU market.

Tokyo-based startup EdgeCortix plans to deliver samples of its next-generation Sakura-X artificial intelligence (AI) processor by the end of 2026, accelerating its production timeline to address the growing energy demands of AI infrastructure. The company is positioning the new silicon as a low-power alternative to Nvidia's dominant graphics processing units as data center operators and industrial users face increasing pressure to curb electricity consumption.

SpaceX is widely expected to pursue an initial public offering in mid to late 2026. In anticipation, investors have increasingly tied the company's long-term growth story to the idea of orbital—or space-based—data centers, making the concept one of the most closely watched themes in capital markets.