It has been a while since humanoids stepped out of the pages of sci-fi writer Philip K Dick. Sophia, the work of Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, debuted in 2016 and gained (Saudi) citizenship a year later. Tesla’s Elon Musk plans to have his humanoids manning production lines next year. Viewed from the C-suite, there is a lot to like. Human robots do not get sick, require pensions or join unions. Health and safety departments need not fret about how much stooping and carrying they do. There are no pesky demands to work from home either. Strength, dexterity and a total lack of squeamishness make them useful across industries, from burger-flipping in eateries to bed-bathing in hospitals. Laser-sharp precision, not to mention an absence of toilet breaks, makes them perfect factory fodder. All told, Citibank analysts reckon there could be 648mn humanoids by 2040. That is four times the size of today’s US workforce but still looks modest beside predictions from futuristic devotees such as tech entrepreneur David Holz, who puts the number at 1bn, and Musk, who concurs.

Full report : Regulators, ethicists and nation-states will be all over robotics in the workplace from every conceivable angle.