According to the company, the first CA-1 robots for AI-supported meal delivery, which can be flexibly adapted to various areas of application, are currently being delivered from the new production facility to pilot customers in the industry. Applications in logistics, retail, and services are also planned for the future.

The robots from the Hamburg-based company combine mechanical precision with adaptive software. Unlike classic industrial robots, which are limited to clearly defined processes, the new models will be able to analyze their environment, store experiences, and independently adapt tasks to changing conditions thanks to AI algorithms. According to the developers, the goal is for the AI robots to not only take over monotonous production steps, but also to handle more complex tasks in mixed human-machine teams.

AI robotics technology industrialized in record time

Circus Se has thus set out to industrialize groundbreaking AI robotics technology in record time. The production facility is built around intelligent, modular manufacturing that combines scalability and agility to enable mass production of autonomous AI robots. According to the company, each CA-1 undergoes more than 150 precision tests to ensure system reliability that is on par with the automotive industry. “This step proves that Circus can not only develop groundbreaking technology, but also transfer it to series production at an industrial quality level,” emphasizes Nikolas Bullwinkel, CEO and founder of Circus SE. “The CA-1 consists of over 29,000 individual components, making it as complex as a small car – and we are now manufacturing and delivering on an industrial scale. The age of autonomous nutrition has begun – and Circus is leading the way worldwide.”

Widespread industrial use of AI robots

The market launch is one of a series of comparable international initiatives to make widespread industrial use of AI robots. Back in 2021, Tesla, in its typically confident manner, unveiled the humanoid robot Optimus, which is currently being tested in its own factories. Boston Dynamics has launched Spot and Stretch, specialized systems that are used for inspections or in logistics centers, for example. In Japan, SoftBank Robotics uses the humanoid service robot Pepper in customer contact.

Analysts predict a revolution for the robotics industry

It is not only industry analysts who see series production as an important step. In order to compete with the dominance of US and Asian suppliers, Germany must leverage its strong industrial base and combine it with AI innovations. Not only is the market potential considerable, but most analysts are predicting a revolution for the robotics industry. Recent studies by Goldman Sachs and ARK Invest suggest a market volume of up to $24 trillion by 2050 – a figure that even the automotive industry cannot match. The majority of this development will be accounted for by industrial applications, but sectors such as healthcare, catering, and education are also considered growth drivers – not least because of the increasing shortage of skilled workers in many Western economies.

Unresolved ethical issues influence further development

Despite high expectations, the development is not without risks. Experts point to high investment costs and the lack of standards for the widespread use of adaptive machines. Last but not least, it is the unresolved ethical issues, from responsibility for the actions of autonomous machines to the handling of sensitive data, that will influence further development.

AI robots must prove their reliability

For Circus SE, the initial focus is on implementation in specific projects. With the first units delivered, the company wants to show that AI robots not only deliver laboratory results, but are also reliable for everyday use. Whether the company will succeed on a large scale now depends on how quickly potential users can be convinced.