Mitsubishi Electric wants humanoid robots to do the machine-shop jobs people do today. The Tokyo company announced on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026 that it has developed what it calls the industry's first machining system in which humanoid robots and CNC machine tools collaborate through physical AI. It will demonstrate the system at the 33rd Japan International Machine Tool Fair (JIMTOF 2026) at Tokyo Big Sight, which opens Oct. 26.
How it works
- AI machining task planner: takes an operator's instructions in natural language, generates machining tasks and splits the work between the machine tool and the robot.
- Physical-AI CNC machine tool: exchanges operating information with the robot in natural language.
- A general-purpose humanoid robot that does setup, cleaning, removing and moving finished parts, inspection and troubleshooting.
The AI pieces use Mitsubishi Electric's in-house Maisart AI technology. The company says the approach removes the need to write dedicated communication functions and control sequences for each robot, which it called a major obstacle to using humanoids at machining sites. The "industry first" claim is based on Mitsubishi Electric's own research, as The AI Insider noted. The release did not name the humanoid robot used or give a price or launch date.
Why it matters
Both Mitsubishi Electric and The AI Insider frame it as an answer to factory labor shortages: humanoids can work in existing lines without the costly retrofits conventional industrial robots need. That is the same bet Tesla is making with Optimus; see Tesla's Q3 Optimus update and Agility's Digit pilot at AGCO.
