The robotics industry has spent years trying to build smarter AI, more dexterous humanoids and longer-lasting batteries. But those may not be the hurdles preventing robots from going mainstream.
The bigger challenge, according to Jerry Wang, Global Executive Chairman of Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ:FFAI) and CEO of AIxCrypto Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:AIXC), is far more practical: convincing businesses that robots can generate a measurable return on investment.
“If I had to choose one, I would say proving ROI,” Wang told Benzinga in an exclusive email interview, when asked about the biggest bottleneck to mass adoption. “The most immediate question is very practical: ‘Will this robot create measurable value in my own operations?'”
Technology Isn’t the Biggest Hurdle
For investors, robotics has largely become a race between companies building increasingly capable machines. Tesla, Inc‘s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Optimus, Figure AI, Unitree and Boston Dynamics have all pushed the industry forward with advances in mobility, artificial intelligence and real-world deployment.
But Wang argues that technical progress alone won’t determine who wins.
Businesses still have to justify significant capital expenditures before deploying robots at scale. Until companies can clearly measure productivity gains, labor savings or operational efficiencies, even the most advanced machines may struggle to move beyond pilot programs.
Lowering the Barrier
Wang says Robotics-as-a-Service could play an important role in the industry’s next phase.
Rather than asking businesses to buy robots outright, the model allows companies to access robotic capabilities on demand, test different use cases and expand deployments only after validating the economics.
“A lot of businesses don’t necessarily want to own robots outright,” Wang said. “What they really want is access to robotic capabilities when those capabilities can create clear, measurable value.”
By lowering upfront costs, companies can experiment with automation without making a long-term capital commitment—an approach Wang says could accelerate adoption across industries ranging from manufacturing and inspections to security and logistics.
The Metric That Matters
Proving ROI does more than unlock the next sale—it creates a flywheel for the entire robotics ecosystem.
“So it really becomes a flywheel: more deployment leads to more data, better performance, stronger ROI, and ultimately broader adoption,” Wang said.
For investors, that may be the industry’s most overlooked metric.
The next major milestone in robotics may not be a humanoid running faster or carrying heavier loads. It may be the moment businesses stop asking whether robots work and start asking how many more they should deploy.
When that happens, the companies making robotics easier to adopt—not just more impressive to watch—could emerge as some of the biggest winners.
Image courtesy of the company’s PR
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