Japanese Semiconductor Maker Renesas Forms Over 100-Person Physical AI Team, Reports Humanoid Robots Account for 8% of Related Product Revenue

Japanese semiconductor manufacturer Renesas announced at the "Semiconductors Powering Humanoids" symposium held in Seoul, South Korea on October 16, 2026, that it has established a dedicated physical AI team within its User Experience (UX) organization. This marks a strategic shift from passively developing chips based on customer requirements to actively participating in system-level development for humanoid robots.

According to Renesas Director Yang Tae-young, the company formed the global UX organization in the second half of 2024, comprising three teams: physical AI, marketing, and technology strategy, with a total headcount of 403 people. The physical AI team alone consists of over 108 members. This team primarily provides engineering support and system architecture implementation services, leveraging a product portfolio that includes microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors (MPUs), motor control chips, and sensors, aiming to reduce the burden on customers building humanoid robot systems.

Regarding commercial progress, Yang noted that humanoid robot applications now account for 8% of the revenue from these specific products, with this proportion more than doubling annually. Demand is strongest in China. Renesas has also set up a laboratory in Beijing to co-develop solutions with local robotics companies. While the growth rate is significant, the report did not clarify whether the 8% figure represents a share of Renesas's total corporate revenue or only the revenue from the aforementioned specific product lines, limiting the assessment of its absolute market scale.