The advancement of electric vehicles is driving up demand for one of the most critical materials in modern industry: lithium. However, another sector—the humanoid robotics industry—may also require increasing quantities of this resource in the coming years. In the United States, the company EnergyX has announced an agreement to supply 100,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium products over the next decade, utilizing an extraction technology developed by the company itself.

The contract was signed with Trafigura, a major global commodities trading firm, and concerns projects located in Texas and Chile. The technology, known as "GetLiT," employs a process called direct lithium extraction; rather than relying solely on the evaporation of large volumes of saltwater, the system separates lithium directly from mineral-rich brines, which is then processed into materials suitable for battery manufacturing.

According to the company, the process has already undergone testing in laboratories, pilot facilities, and demonstration units, with commercial production—as outlined in the agreement—slated to begin in 2028. This points to an important connection with the future of robotics: one of the major challenges currently facing humanoid robots lies not just in artificial intelligence or the ability to walk, but in the energy required to keep these machines running. Motors, sensors, computers, and balancing systems must operate continuously, drawing electricity from batteries—which, in turn, must be light enough not to hinder movement. For this reason, many humanoid robots use lithium-ion batteries, similar in principle to those found in electric vehicles.

Should these machines eventually be produced by the millions, the demand for battery materials could surge even further. This does not necessarily mean that the lithium produced by Energy X will be earmarked specifically for robots; the announced agreement focuses primarily on supply for electric vehicles and energy storage systems. Nevertheless, it highlights a challenge that various industries will share as they look to deploy millions of autonomous machines—on our streets, in our factories, and within our homes. Developing advanced artificial intelligence is not enough; we must also find ways to power all of these machines.