The Robot Boomers

With fertility rates at 2.4, below replacement in many places. Meanwhile, industrial robots are booming.

The world’s population is slowing—7.9 billion in 2022, up just 13% from 2010. Growth is stalling, with fertility rates at 2.4, below replacement in many places. Meanwhile, industrial robots are booming, their numbers soaring from 1 million to 3.9 million in the same period—a 290% leap. The graph below tells the story: human growth creeps along; robots surge ahead.

Comparison: Human Population vs. Industrial Robot Stock (2010-2022)

This isn’t just a trend—it’s a revolution. Biotech is stretching human life, with expectancy projected to hit 77.5 years by 2050, keeping us in the game longer. But robots are rewriting the rules. They’re the new workforce, growing exponentially while humans stagnate, creating a demographic bonus like the baby boomers post-WWII. Call them the robot boomers.

By 2050, we might see 10 million robots, outnumbering workers in some industries. McKinsey predicts automation could boost global GDP by 1.4% annually through 2030—adding a Germany-sized economy yearly. Robots don’t consume, but they produce, slashing costs and flooding markets with goods. Economic models built on human labor are obsolete; the future is about managing abundance, not scarcity. As humans live longer and robots multiply, the robot boomer boom will redefine growth, just as the baby boomers did decades ago. The question isn’t if—it’s how we adapt.

Thanks for reading,

Guillermo Valencia A

Cofounder of MacroWise

March 30, 2025