A3 Reports Increased Robotics Investment

New data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) shows the North American robotics industry continued to build momentum in the first half of 2025, with robot orders increasing by 4.3% and revenue rising 7.5% compared to the first half of 2024. Details in the A3 report highlight that North American companies ordered 17,635 robots valued at $1.094 billion in the first six months of 2025. 

This new A3 data also indicated that cobots (collaborative robots) made up nearly one in four robots sold in Q2 2025. Overall, cobots accounted for a growing share of the market with 3,085 units ordered in the first half of 2025, valued at $114 million.

The rising influence of cobots

With cobots making up 23.7% of all robot units sold and 14.7% of the revenue in Q2, A3 reports that cobots are “increasingly favored for their ability to work safely alongside humans and address automation needs in space- or labor-constrained environments.”

A3 began tracking cobots as a distinct category in 1Q 2025 and said it plans to expand future reporting to include growth trends by sector. 

Industries with the most robot investments 

Automotive OEMs led the robot industry’s growth, according to A3, with a 34% year-over-year increase in units ordered. Other top-performing segments included plastics and rubber (+9%) and life sciences/pharma/biomed (+8%). A3 said these increases reflect broader trends like reshoring, labor shortages and the push for greater operational efficiency.

In Q2 alone, North American companies ordered 8,571 robots worth $513 million, marking a 9% increase in units over Q2 2024. Looking at Q2 numbers specifically, A3 noted that the life sciences/pharma/biomed industry posted the strongest sector growth in the quarter (+22%), followed by semiconductors/electronics/photonics (+18%), along with steady gains in plastics, automotive components and general industry.

Delving into the Q2 details, A3 pointed out the non-automotive sector took the lead over automotive in terms of robotic investments in Q2, accounting for 56% of total units ordered. A3 said this move reflects the expanding role of automation in industries such as life sciences, electronics and other non-automotive manufacturing sectors.

“The continued growth in robot orders underscores what we’ve been hearing from our members: automation is now central to long-term business strategy,” said Alex Shikany, executive vice president at A3. “It’s not just about efficiency anymore; it’s about building resilience, improving flexibility and staying competitive in a rapidly changing global market. If these patterns hold, the North American robotics market could outperform 2024 levels by mid-single digit growth rates by the end of the year.”

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