For the first half of the year, the emphasis for the market overall was on the “climb.” Recently, however, the challenge has been getting the upper hand. For those with a short-term time horizon, it will be challenging to understand central bank policies or the ultimate outcome of the escalating global trade war. While these issues have most certainly presented a challenge, for those with their eyes on the long-term destination, recent investments in the theme point to future growth.
In July, there were more than $10.1B robotics deals worldwide—a dramatic increase compared to $1.1B in deals in June 2019 and $1.6B in June 2018. At the same time, the size of each deal is ramping up, making it clear that companies in key industries like healthcare, automotive, and supply chain logistics are banking on robotics and AI to help drive future revenues.
For investors in robotics and AI, it’s important to keep the journey in top of mind. There is no doubt that we are in the very beginning days of a major technical convergence as discoveries and advancements in robotics and AI come together in unexpected ways to continue to innovate and disrupt the way we live, work, and play around the globe. Indeed, some of the most highly respected minds of our time, including renowned inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil and engineer/entrepreneur Peter Diamandis, have predicted that we will have full digital integration between humans and computers by the year 2030. No matter how today’s economic blips play out, that level of digital expansion should make the decade ahead ripe with growth potential and exciting for us all.
By Bill Studebaker, President & CIO, ROBO Global