WRC 2026: Executives Shift Focus from Showmanship to ROI in Robotics

As the lights at the 2026 World Robot Conference illuminated the halls, humanoid robots still danced and robotic arms continued their precise grabs. Yet beneath the surface spectacle, a subtle shift was unfolding: while the on-stage performances drew crowds, the conversations off-stage had collectively pivoted toward factory yields, warehouse efficiency, and the return on investment shown on client invoices.

This year's conference, Red Star Capital Bureau interviewed several industry executives to explore these three core questions—how robotics are delivering practical value, what metrics matter most to adopters, and where the industry is heading beyond the hype.