Interact Analysis slashes its mobile robot outlook amid tariff uncertainty - The Robot Report

Interact Analysis has significantly downgraded its mobile robot market outlook, citing a combination of geopolitical, economic, and industry-specific challenges. In its May 2025 report, the firm cut the 2025 market forecast by $800 million and lowered the projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for 2025–2030 from 26% to 21%, with the 2030 revenue forecast now at $15.6 billion. Central to this revision are the global tariffs introduced by the U.S. administration, which have disrupted supply chains and created considerable uncertainty in capital investments. This uncertainty, reflected in the Global Economic Policy Uncertainty Index reaching an unprecedented high of 430 in January 2025, has led many companies to delay large-scale automation projects in warehouses. Additional factors contributing to the forecast reduction include sluggish growth in warehouse construction due to elevated costs, industrial overcapacity, and ongoing policy uncertainty. Although there are tentative signs of recovery in regions like the U.S. and Japan,