Approval is also on the rise in Germany: 47% of respondents see automation as an opportunity to secure competitiveness. "20 years ago, this would have been a socio-political debate. Today we know: It's about securing jobs in Germany," said Pfeiffer at the press conference on the automatica Trend Index 2025.

Using robots to combat the skills shortage

The increasing shortage of skilled workers in industry is a particularly pressing issue. 75% of employees in Germany see robotics as an effective response to this challenge. In addition, a large majority would like robots to take over dangerous, unhealthy or monotonous tasks. 85% expect robots to reduce the risk of injury during dangerous tasks. 84% see robots as an important aid when handling critical or harmful materials. 70 % believe that robotics will help older employees to stay in work for longer.

Dr. Dietmar Ley, Chairman of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association, sees great opportunities: "Robotics and automation offer enormous potential to counter the shortage of skilled workers and improve the quality of work at the same time." Technological advances in user-friendliness and integration are making it easier than ever to get started with industrial robotics. Pfeiffer adds: "The famous three Ds - 'dirty, dangerous, dull' - are increasingly being taken over by machines. This also makes production jobs more attractive for young people."

Growing competitive pressure

Using robots to combat skills shortages. © automatica

In view of global industrial competition, the press conference raised the question of how Germany can assert itself in various industries and future topics such as battery technology, hydrogen and fuel cells, heat pumps and the circular economy. The tenor: these future fields can only be scaled efficiently through automation. "Technologies such as robotics are the lever for making e-mobility or the circular economy suitable for mass production. This is only possible with automation - high-quality and at competitive prices," emphasized Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director of the VDMA Robotics + Automation Association.

According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), China has overtaken Germany in terms of robot density in the manufacturing industry. In just four years (2019 to 2023), China doubled the number of industrial robots used per factory worker and now stands at 470 units per 10,000 employees. Germany follows in fourth place with 429 units, closely followed by Japan with 419 units.

Sustainability © automatica

The discussion also shed light on the geopolitical framework conditions. Despite growing self-sufficiency efforts in the USA, for example, the panel saw little immediate danger for European manufacturers: "Without massive automation, there will be no relocation of production back to the USA," explained Ley. "Many Americans would like to see the mass production industry back in the country, but they don't want to work in mass production themselves."

Digitalization and AI as the basis for automation

The index also shows how closely the progress of automation is linked to digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI). Nevertheless, there is a high level of sensitivity in Germany in particular when it comes to transparency in dealing with AI: 68% of Germans want to know whether they are talking to a human or a machine - for example in customer service. "Without digitalization there is no automation, without AI there is no further development," says Pfeiffer. At the same time, there is still a reluctance to embrace new technologies such as humanoid robots, especially in comparison to countries such as China.