For decades, humanoid robots capable of doing real work were a science-fiction staple more than an economic forecast. That's changed fast. In 2026, humanoid robots have moved from lab demonstrations to actual factory floors — but the honest answer to when they'll be competent and plentiful enough to meaningfully disrupt the U.S. job market is: sooner than skeptics expected, later than the hype suggests, and unevenly across industries. Where things actually stand right now. As