The Polish center is deepening the production of humanoids on a wave of local content?

The debate around "local content" in Poland often centers on how much of foreign investment trickles down into domestic firms. However, in the realm of new technologies, success is measured not just by the share of subcontractors in a single project but by the ability to build its own competencies, technologies, and entire value chains. Local content should therefore serve as a tool for strengthening strategic autonomy rather than merely being a procurement mechanism.

This moment is particularly significant given that both the United States and China are investing hundreds of billions of dollars in artificial intelligence, automation, and modern, autonomous industry. Europe does not need to compete solely on the scale of capital but can leverage its strengths: a strong industrial sector, engineering expertise, and a large internal market. A crucial area in this context is robotics. Artificial intelligence is increasingly moving from the digital world into the physical one—autonomous machines, industrial robots, logistics systems, and humanoids that combine artificial intelligence with mechanics, energy storage, semiconductors, and automation.

Humanoid robots could become one of the most important sectors of the new economy. Investors have already recognized this trend—global investments in developing humanoid startups reached over $5 billion this year, and by 2026, these investments are expected to exceed $8 billion. In Europe, private venture capital investments in humanoid robots amounted to only between €200 million and €300 million in 2025. This is an early-stage market, but one with enormous scaling potential. The economic benefits are substantial: the average operational cost of a humanoid is about €3.5 per hour, there are no downtime issues, and high production quality consistency generates additional savings. In Europe, with approximately 220 million employees and growing labor shortages in manufacturing and services, this is not science fiction but a response to real challenges. It's no wonder that South Korea recently announced a plan to invest $880 billion in semiconductors, robotics, and AI over the course of a decade.

Poland has real arguments to play an important role in this process. Why? Because it possesses two rare advantages found in Europe: active humanoid startups with their own intellectual property and a cost structure enabling scalable production competitive globally. What is missing, however, is capital and anchor customers. This represents a window of opportunity lasting 18 to 36 months before Western humanoid factories choose European locations for their production.

Many competencies currently developed in Poland—from component production, through control systems, electronics, to batteries—are directly related to the technologies needed in robotics. The key challenge will, however, be transitioning from assembly and subcontracting to co-developing technologies, including building capabilities in advanced components while considering energy-efficient semiconductors.

Therefore, the goal of the local content initiative should be to build competencies in the highest-value-added sectors combined with the development of a research and development environment, including university bases in Poland. The success of China in electric mobility resulted from an entire ecosystem: batteries, chemistry, electronics, software, raw materials, and a strong R&D foundation. A similar approach is necessary in robotics and physical AI. This means developing domestic suppliers of components, electronics, control systems, and software, along with close collaboration among industry, startups, universities, and investment capital.

Poland needs an industrial policy looking beyond quarterly horizons and focusing on the perspective of 2035. If local content is used as a tool to build competencies in future technologies, it could become one of the key pillars of economic competitiveness. Humanoid robotics is one of the areas where such a strategy would yield particularly tangible results, enhancing national security.

A recent development highlights the urgency of this shift. A major company has begun laying off thousands of workers due to the integration of artificial intelligence into its operations. These layoffs underscore the rapid transformation taking place in industries reliant on traditional labor forces. As AI continues to replace human roles in manufacturing and service sectors, the pressure on countries like Poland to adapt and develop their technological capacities becomes even more pronounced. The transition from manual labor to automated processes demands not only investment in technology but also a comprehensive rethinking of workforce training and education systems to prepare for the evolving job market.