Toyota joins race for humanoid robot workers, pledges to amplify — not replace — people

Gill Pratt, Toyota's chief scientist and the CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, says rapid advances in artificial intelligence will enable Toyota to deploy human robot workers in the Japanese carmaker's factories. — Gill Pratt, Toyota's chief scientist and the CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, says rapid advances in artificial intelligence will enable Toyota to deploy human robot workers in the Japanese carmaker's factories. (HANS GREIMEL/AUTOMOTIVE NEWS)

May 22, 2025 05:00 AM

Gill Pratt, Toyota's chief scientist and the CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, says rapid advances in artificial intelligence will enable Toyota to deploy human robot workers in the Japanese carmaker's factories. — Gill Pratt, Toyota's chief scientist and the CEO of the Toyota Research Institute, says rapid advances in artificial intelligence will enable Toyota to deploy human robot workers in the Japanese carmaker's factories. (HANS GREIMEL/AUTOMOTIVE NEWS)

TOKYO — Toyota’s worker of tomorrow may soon be a humanoid robot, strutting the factory floor. Or possibly zooming around on wheels, with arms and digits reaching out to assemble cars.

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