Dubai is positioning itself at the heart of the physical AI revolution. This December, GITEX GLOBAL launches GITEX World RobotiX, a dedicated platform for robotics, humanoids, and embodied intelligence, running 8–11 December 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre in Expo City Dubai.
The new showcase arrives as humanoid robot demand surges worldwide and as Dubai accelerates its own ambitious automation goals.
On the 7th Day of December at Dubai World Trade Centre, GITEX GLOBAL 2026 will kickoff with a one-day Summit before the full exhibition shifts to Expo City.
World RobotiX sits at the core of the expanded program, bringing manufacturers, developers, integrators, buyers, and investors together to demonstrate machines that perceive, reason, and act in the physical world. Applications span manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, hospitality, and smart infrastructure.
The timing is deliberate. According to Counterpoint Research, more than 22,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in the first half of 2026 that’s a roughly 300% year-on-year jump.
Shipments are projected to exceed 50,000 units by the end of the year. China has emerged as a dominant supplier, with companies such as Unitree and others capturing significant market share.
Dubai is not merely hosting the conversation; it is actively shaping deployment. Through its Robotics and Automation Program launched in 2022 under the leadership of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the emirate targets the deployment of 200,000 robots by 2032.
The initiative aims to raise the sector’s contribution to Dubai’s GDP to 9% and place the city among the world’s top 10 robotics and automation hubs. Focus areas include production and manufacturing, consumer services and tourism, connected mobility and logistics, healthcare, and extreme environments.
Global Headliners and Middle East Debuts
Unitree, holding approximately 31% of the global humanoid market, leads a strong international contingent. UBTECH will showcase humanoids already operating in automotive factories and undergoing testing with Airbus. AiMOGA (Chery Auto’s embodied AI brand) and DEEP Robotics (a leader in quadruped platforms) join them. UAE-based Micropolis Robotics will highlight autonomous patrol systems already used by Dubai Police.
Several Companies will be Making Notable Middle East Debuts
Lumos Robotics will introduce MOS 2, a wheeled dual-arm “AI Worker” capable of handling payloads up to 50 kg and operating for more than eight hours. Earlier MOS units have logged over 1,000 failure-free hours in real factory settings at Mitsubishi Electric. The company will also demonstrate its NIX S3 humanoid (21 degrees of freedom) in live performances. Raydiculous, from the Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre, brings the TP01 commercial humanoid (supporting English and Arabic) and DINOBOT, described as the world’s first intelligent bipedal walking bionic dinosaur. Light Origins will give the first public outing of its bunny-shaped humanoid, with interactive household scenario demonstrations.
Local players are equally prominent. Mangobot will present a robotic workforce featuring autonomous general-purpose machines, multilingual receptionists, patrol units, live performances, and wearable exoskeletons that visitors can try. Lootah Robotics, a systems integrator, will display humanoids, quadrupeds, service, cleaning, and telepresence robots from partners including Unitree, AGIBOT, Pudu Robotics, UBTECH, and EngineAI. Besomi is expected to field its “Besomi Rangers” fleet of humanoid and mobile robots.
From Static Displays to Working Machines
Organizers emphasize practical demonstration over spectacle. Robots will handle tasks such as material handling, quality inspection, serving, load carrying, and responding to voice commands.
Industrial automation including robotic arms, collaborative robots (cobots), autonomous mobile robots, and exoskeletons will feature heavily, showing real-world applications in logistics, manufacturing, and production.
The event is also set to host the Middle East debut of elements from the World Humanoid Robot Sports Games, including sprint and obstacle competitions.
GITEX World RobotiX positions itself as a commercial platform: live demos, product launches, buyer meetings, pilot-project discussions, investment conversations, and media coverage all form part of the experience.
It sits alongside other specialized zones at GITEX GLOBAL focused on mobility, data centers, energy, and more, reflecting the broader shift from pure software AI toward physical systems that operate in the real world.
The combination of accelerating global shipments, Dubai’s clear policy targets, and a high-profile international showcase creates a concentrated moment for technology evaluation, partnership formation, and market entry into the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia.
For manufacturers, the event offers visibility and direct access to government and enterprise buyers. For Dubai and the UAE, it reinforces the city’s ambition to be a living laboratory and early adopter of advanced automation. For attendees, it provides a rare chance to see leading humanoids, quadrupeds, service robots, and industrial systems operating side by side and, in many cases, to interact with them.
GITEX World RobotiX 2026 marks the public arrival of physical AI as a mainstream theme at one of the world’s largest technology gatherings. With humanoid shipments climbing steeply and Dubai racing toward its 200,000-robot target, December 2026 in Expo City looks set to be a defining early chapter in the commercialization of intelligent machines that work alongside people.
