What We Expect to See in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in 2016

Will this year mark the first drone delivery, or the first time you encounter a robot at work or in your home? We saw significant advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence in 2015 (see "What Robots and AI Learned in 2015"). The world's largest economy has embarked on an audacious effort to fill its factories with advanced manufacturing robots. The government of China hopes this will help the country retain its vast manufacturing industry as workers' wages rise, and manufacturing becomes more efficient and technologically advanced around the world (see "China Wants to Replace Millions of Workers with Robots"). The project will require robots that are significantly more advanced and cost-efficient, and the economic and technological ripples could be felt around the world.