GITEX 2025: Robots are Here, Walking Among Us, and It Feels Perfectly Normal
The future has arrived, and it’s walking the exhibition floors of GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai. This year, a profound shift is palpable: the boundary between human and machine is dissolving. Robots no longer stand as static displays behind ropes; they move freely through crowds, and for the thousands of visitors, their presence feels utterly natural. From empathetic humanoids that teach languages to robust machines that sprint and climb, the robotics revolution has officially moved out of the laboratory and into our everyday lives.
Sanad: The UAE’s AI-Powered Teaching Assistant Personalizes Education
A standout innovation capturing hearts and minds at the Dubai tech expo is Sanad, a one-metre-tall AI-powered teaching assistant developed right in the UAE. Conceived by Latifa Alhammadi, the Academic Vice Principal at Al Ethaar School, Sanad is designed to tackle one of education’s biggest challenges: personalized learning.
This revolutionary robot goes beyond rote instruction. It actively monitors each student’s progress, using advanced AI to dynamically adjust the curriculum’s difficulty.
“The robot personalizes lessons to engage with children both inside and outside the classroom,” as reported by Khaleej Times. If a student excels, Sanad gradually increases the challenge. If they struggle, it gently scales back to rebuild foundational concepts.
Currently focused on teaching English, its framework is versatile and can be reprogrammed for other languages like French or Chinese. While still in its research phase, the team plans to pilot Sanad in UAE government primary schools (grades 1-5), pending Ministry of Education approval. Beyond academics, Sanad is designed to be a companion, chatting with children during breaks to sharpen their conversational skills naturally. Future iterations promise even smoother interaction, using recognition technology to engage students automatically—no login required.
Beyond the Classroom: Agile Robots for Demanding Real-World Tasks
The scope of robotics at GITEX 2025 extends far beyond education, showcasing machines built for resilience and performance in challenging environments.
Booster T1: This 1.2-metre humanoid, weighing 30 kg, is a marvel of agility. Built with 23 degrees of freedom, it can recover from falls and move fluidly in all directions. Its proven capabilities were demonstrated at RoboCup 2024, and it now partners with the global competition, signaling its advanced status in the field.
X30: A rugged quadruped robot, the X30 is engineered for tasks ranging from security and industrial inspections to surveying rough terrain. It can confidently scale a 45° staircase, operate seamlessly in total darkness or blinding glare, and features a swappable battery system for continuous operation in extended field missions.
These are not mere showpieces. They represent a tangible leap towards real-world applications. From navigating disaster zones to conducting remote industrial inspections, these robots demonstrate that autonomous systems are poised to become routine aids in high-risk and logistically complex tasks.
The New Normal: Responsive, Integrated Robotics
The overarching theme of GITEX 2025’s robotic showcase is clear: automation is no longer an abstract concept but a tangible reality sharing our physical space. The integration of robots that teach, assist, and autonomously navigate unpredictable terrain points to a near future where human and machine systems are deeply intertwined.
The criteria for judging robotics are also evolving. It’s no longer just about brute strength or processing speed. As exemplified by the innovations in Dubai, adaptability, environmental perception, robustness, and learning capacity are now central. Robotics is rapidly evolving to be more responsive, empathetic, and seamlessly integrated with human needs.
The message from the floor of GITEX 2025 was unmistakable. The robots of tomorrow are not coming; they are already here. They are walking among us, learning with us, and actively setting the stage for how we will live, work, and learn in the very near future.
