Humanoid robots took center stage at VivaTech 2026, the technology conference that opened in Paris on June 17.
The headline moment came from Foxconn. The Taiwanese company—described by Tech Times as the world's largest electronics manufacturer—chose the show for the European debut of its humanoid robots. According to Tech Times, the demonstration revealed what it called a "closed-loop physical AI stack," meaning Foxconn is showing off not just the robots themselves but the full chain of technology that powers them, from chips to software to the machine.
Foxconn is best known as the contract manufacturer that assembles devices for other brands, so a public push into building and showcasing its own humanoid robots signals a notable shift in ambition.
The robots were not the only attraction. Euronews reports that smart homes shared the spotlight, putting artificial intelligence at the heart of this year's event. Coverage from The Tech Edvocate framed the buzz around AI and robotics as having "reached new heights" at the Paris gathering.
Separately, Interesting Engineering highlighted a humanoid called Codey, which it described as representing "a new era of autonomous, socially intelligent humanoids"—a sign that machines designed to move and interact among people are a defining theme of the show.
Why it matters: when one of the world's biggest manufacturers starts demonstrating its own humanoid robots and the complete AI system behind them, it suggests these machines are moving out of the lab and toward the factories, homes, and everyday spaces where ordinary people live and work.