Physical therapy clinics run on thin margins. I see it every day. So when I hear that AI and robotics are going to be cheaper than humans I actually try to run the numbers in my own context and it falls apart fast.
The hardware alone for anything resembling useful physical rehabilitation robotics is six figures minimum. Then you need maintenance contracts, software updates, liability coverage, and someone who actually knows how to run the thing. Meanwhile a skilled PT costs the clinic maybe 40 to 60 an hour all in.
The robot does not replace that PT. It maybe assists. So now you have both costs.
I get that the argument is long term. Depreciation over time, no sick days, scales without hiring. That math works eventually in manufacturing maybe. High volume, repetitive, controlled environment. Healthcare is none of those things. Patients are unpredictable. Edge cases are the norm, not the exception.
What actually confuses me is who keeps funding this narrative that replacement is imminent. The timeline keeps sliding but the confidence never drops. At some point that pattern should raise flags.
Curious if people in other fields are running actual numbers or just repeating the talking point. Where does the cost crossover actually happen in a domain you know well.
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