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Monday, Sep 08, 2025
Outside the box.
Ageing Populations and AI Propel Global Surge in Medical Robotics
From surgery to logistics, robots are reshaping healthcare—but costs, training, and ethical hurdles remain key barriers to full adoption
The combination of ageing populations and rapid advances in artificial intelligence is accelerating the adoption of robotics across the global healthcare sector.
Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of people over the age of 60 worldwide is projected to rise from 12 percent to 22 percent.
This demographic shift is placing unprecedented pressure on health systems, increasing demand for innovative solutions such as medical robots.
Global forecasts show that the medical robotics market is expected to grow sharply.
Estimates suggest it could nearly quadruple from around $13 billion in 2023 to more than $50 billion by 2032, with some models projecting up to $63.8 billion.
The rise is being driven not only by need but also by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, which provides the computing power and data required to train autonomous and semi-autonomous robots for a variety of tasks.
In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service has set a goal for 90 percent of keyhole surgeries to be performed using robots by 2035—up from 20 percent today.
Robotic systems are increasingly used to enhance surgical precision, reduce recovery times, and optimize clinical outcomes.
Beyond surgery, robots are being developed for a wide range of medical applications: exoskeletons that assist patients with mobility; ingestible robots that perform internal diagnostics; and mobile robots that deliver medication or transport lab samples within hospitals.
These technologies offer a promising response to anticipated staffing shortages.
In the United States alone, the healthcare sector could face a deficit of over 100,000 workers by 2028.
However, the expansion of robotic healthcare is not without obstacles.
High initial purchase prices, ongoing maintenance costs, and the need for specialized staff training continue to pose significant barriers.
Additionally, hospital environments can be unpredictable and congested, making navigation more difficult for mobile robotic systems.
Ethical and legal concerns are also mounting.
As medical robots gain greater autonomy, questions arise around data privacy, accountability for errors, and patient consent.
Who is liable if a robot misdiagnoses or malfunctions?
These are pressing issues that must be addressed before full-scale adoption can occur.
Despite the challenges, the integration of robotics into healthcare represents a potentially transformative shift—one that could redefine care delivery, especially in ageing societies.
With careful regulation, strategic investment, and thoughtful implementation, medical robotics could ease systemic burdens while enhancing patient outcomes.
Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of people over the age of 60 worldwide is projected to rise from 12 percent to 22 percent.
This demographic shift is placing unprecedented pressure on health systems, increasing demand for innovative solutions such as medical robots.
Global forecasts show that the medical robotics market is expected to grow sharply.
Estimates suggest it could nearly quadruple from around $13 billion in 2023 to more than $50 billion by 2032, with some models projecting up to $63.8 billion.
The rise is being driven not only by need but also by breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, which provides the computing power and data required to train autonomous and semi-autonomous robots for a variety of tasks.
In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service has set a goal for 90 percent of keyhole surgeries to be performed using robots by 2035—up from 20 percent today.
Robotic systems are increasingly used to enhance surgical precision, reduce recovery times, and optimize clinical outcomes.
Beyond surgery, robots are being developed for a wide range of medical applications: exoskeletons that assist patients with mobility; ingestible robots that perform internal diagnostics; and mobile robots that deliver medication or transport lab samples within hospitals.
These technologies offer a promising response to anticipated staffing shortages.
In the United States alone, the healthcare sector could face a deficit of over 100,000 workers by 2028.
However, the expansion of robotic healthcare is not without obstacles.
High initial purchase prices, ongoing maintenance costs, and the need for specialized staff training continue to pose significant barriers.
Additionally, hospital environments can be unpredictable and congested, making navigation more difficult for mobile robotic systems.
Ethical and legal concerns are also mounting.
As medical robots gain greater autonomy, questions arise around data privacy, accountability for errors, and patient consent.
Who is liable if a robot misdiagnoses or malfunctions?
These are pressing issues that must be addressed before full-scale adoption can occur.
Despite the challenges, the integration of robotics into healthcare represents a potentially transformative shift—one that could redefine care delivery, especially in ageing societies.
With careful regulation, strategic investment, and thoughtful implementation, medical robotics could ease systemic burdens while enhancing patient outcomes.
