The president of the Association for Advancing Automation reflects on shifting industry boundaries, China’s dominance in robot installations, the case for a U.S. national robotics strategy, and how A3 is building bridges across 35 nations.
Introduction
Automate 2026 drew record attendance to Chicago’s McCormick Place, but behind the product launches and live demos, the deeper conversations were about where the global automation industry is heading — and whether the United States is moving fast enough to stay relevant.
Few people carry a more informed view of that question than Jeff Burnstein, President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3). With 1,450 member companies spanning 35 nations and a seat on the board of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), Burnstein occupies a rare vantage point: simultaneously tracking the macro trends reshaping the industry and the on-the-ground realities facing companies building and deploying robots today.
Following the show, RobotToday sat down with Burnstein for a candid exchange on automation’s widening industry footprint, China’s commanding lead in robot installations, the strategic policy moves the U.S. must make, and how organizations like A3 are working to amplify the industry’s voice through media partnerships and global cooperation.
Q1 | Where does A3 see the biggest shifts in automation adoption and industry priorities over the past few years? |
A | The biggest shift we are seeing in industry adoption has been the widening range of industries applying robotics and automation. When robotics were first introduced in the U.S., roughly 70% went into the automotive industry. But today, only 50% are in the auto industry, with the other 50% spread across other sectors — and in some years, it’s even higher. That is a really positive sign, as industries like sciences, agriculture, construction, among many others, are beginning to invest in robotics. |
“Today, only 50% of robots go into the auto industry. The other 50% are spread across life sciences, agriculture, construction, and beyond — and that number keeps growing.”
RobotToday Editorial Note The automotive-to-diversified shift Burnstein describes is one of the defining structural changes of the past decade. IFR data consistently shows food & beverage, electronics, and logistics each outpacing automotive growth in percentage terms. For robotics vendors, this broadening represents both opportunity and a go-to-market challenge: solutions built for the rigidly structured automotive floor do not always translate directly to dynamic, variable environments like fresh food processing or agricultural harvesting. |
Q2 | How does A3 view the rapidly evolving global robotics landscape — including both competition and collaboration across international markets? |
A | In terms of robotics adoption, China has emerged as a clear leader. They install nine or ten times more robots each year than the U.S. — we have some catching up to do. China’s larger than all the other countries combined in terms of annual installations of robotics and committed to continuing this pace. They see humanoids as the next frontier. So, if humanoids turn out to be the chosen form factor — and the jury’s still out — then China will lead the way unless other countries react quickly. We are advocating for a national robotics strategy in the U.S. that would make robotics more of a priority. We have outlined six points that include incentivizing adoption, more use of robotics and automation by the government itself, investing in the next generation of workers, more workforce training, and other elements that would position America to regain leadership in robotics and technology — which was, after all, invented here. |
“China installs nine or ten times more robots each year than the U.S. If humanoids turn out to be the chosen form factor, China will lead the way unless other countries react quickly.”
RobotToday Editorial Note The 9–10x installation gap is consistent with IFR’s 2024 World Robotics Report, which recorded China installing approximately 276,000 industrial robots in 2023 against the U.S.’s roughly 31,000. A3’s six-point national strategy places the U.S. in a growing list of governments — Japan, South Korea, Germany — that have formalized automation policy frameworks. Whether the current political environment will support such a strategy remains an open question. |
Q3 | How are industry organizations like A3 working with media to increase awareness, share best practices, and expand the reach of important automation developments? |
A | We value the industry trade, business, and local media as a path to share valuable information such as industry data, trends, and thought-leader perspectives on how robotics and automation is evolving in the U.S. and beyond. Media partnerships help us reach audiences that would not otherwise follow a trade association’s channels directly — and that expanded reach is critical as the industry touches an ever-wider set of sectors and communities. |
RobotToday Editorial Note RobotToday and A3 are actively exploring a formal media partnership to co-distribute industry data, show coverage, and educational content to RobotToday’s 300,000+ monthly readers across 150+ countries, with particular depth in the U.S. and Chinese markets. |
Q4 | How does A3 think about engaging global audiences as the industry becomes increasingly interconnected? |
A | A3 is a global organization. We have 1,450 member companies from 35 different nations. We spend a lot of time traveling and working with other organizations in Spain, Denmark, Germany, India, and all over the world. For example, we have had an active presence in Mexico for more than a decade. Our goal is to see increased adoption of robotics and automation globally, and we are eager to cooperate with anyone who is willing to make that happen. I am an executive board member of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), where all nations come together to further the mission of the education and adoption of robotics. Countries like China, Korea, Germany, Spain, and Italy, many others are involved in the IFR. It is an incredibly collaborative effort to increase adoption and promote the use of the technology throughout the world. |
“We have 1,450 member companies from 35 nations. Our goal is to see increased adoption of robotics globally — and we are eager to cooperate with anyone willing to make that happen.”
RobotToday Editorial Note Burnstein’s framing of international robotics as cooperative rather than purely competitive reflects the IFR’s institutional stance — one that deliberately separates trade policy disputes from technology advancement goals. For Chinese robotics companies and integrators looking to understand the U.S. market, A3’s membership and event ecosystem represents one of the most accessible on-ramps available. |
RobotToday Analysis
Burnstein’s answers trace a clear arc: automation is no longer a story owned by automotive OEMs and their tier-one suppliers. The industry has dispersed — across sectors, geographies, and form factors — and the organizations shaping its trajectory are racing to keep pace.
The China installation gap is the sharpest data point in this interview, and it carries strategic weight beyond mere statistics. If humanoid robots do emerge as the dominant next-generation platform — a hypothesis that companies from Figure to Unitree to Agility are betting on — then the nation that builds the broadest deployment base earliest will define the cost curve, the software stack, and the application playbook for the rest of the world. Burnstein is right to flag the urgency.
What is equally notable is what Burnstein signals about A3’s role: not as a regulator or gatekeeper, but as a convener and amplifier. In a fragmented global industry where standards bodies, national strategies, and private capital often pull in different directions, that convening function has real and underappreciated value. For international readers — particularly those navigating the U.S. market from China or Southeast Asia — A3’s membership and event calendar represent one of the most practical entry points available.
About Jeff Burnstein
Jeff Burnstein has served as President of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) since 2008. A3 is the umbrella organization for the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), the Advancing Vision + Imaging association (AIA), the Motion Control and Motor Association (MCMA), and the A3 Mexico chapter. Under his leadership, A3 has grown to 1,450 member companies across 35 nations and produces Automate, North America’s largest automation trade show. Burnstein also serves as an executive board member of the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
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