Humanoids Summit Tokyo Opens, Professor Ishiguro Discusses '2050 Avatar Society'

The 'Humanoids Summit Tokyo 2026', the world's largest international conference on humanoid robots and Physical AI, has opened in Tokyo. Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro presented his vision for an avatar society by 2050 and solutions for demographic decline.

Fri May 29 2026

Humanoids Summit Tokyo 2026 Kicks Off

The 'Humanoids Summit Tokyo 2026', the world's largest international conference specializing in humanoid robots and autonomously operating Physical AI (Embodied AI), commenced on May 28 in Tokyo. This marks the first time the U.S. Silicon Valley-born conference has been held in Asia, running until May 29. Leading companies, developers, and investors from the U.S., Europe, and Asia have gathered for the event.

Professor Ishiguro Presents '2050 Cybernetic Avatar Society' Vision

Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro of Osaka University delivered the opening keynote speech alongside his remote-controlled android 'Geminoid', discussing the theme of the 'Cybernetic Avatar (CA) Society by 2050'. Professor Ishiguro emphasized that the true purpose of robot research is to understand humans. He outlined a vision to address Japan's severe population decline and aging society by promoting the labor participation of the elderly and disabled through avatars to maintain productivity. He also explained a roadmap for developing physical avatars, starting with the market for CG avatars, and introduced the 'Global Avatar Workforce' concept, utilizing time differences for overseas personnel to handle night-time operations in Japan.

Latest Robot Technologies and Industry Trends Exhibited

At the venue, Honda Motor Company showcased a four-fingered robot arm using flexible materials for efficient power transmission from internal motors, demonstrating both strength for heavy lifting and precision for tasks like threading a needle. Toyota Motor Corporation discussed the development background of its AI-equipped basketball robot. Top sponsor GMO Internet Group designated 2026 as the 'Humanoid元年 (Humanoid First Year)', presenting solutions integrating AI and cybersecurity technologies. Regarding international trends, it was reported that major IT companies are leading the development of general-purpose control software to link different types of robots, and real estate transactions are active on the U.S. West Coast to secure vast experimental testing grounds.

*Source: 風傳媒 (2026-05-29)*

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