IROS 2026 papers show AI reintegrating with classical robotics rather than replacing it

Of 1,933 IROS 2026 papers, Robot Learning/Embodied AI appears in about 809, while Navigation/Planning covers 564 and Perception/Vision 556. The article argues large models are being embedded into traditional planning, geometry, and control rather than replacing them. Vision-language-action models are shifting toward efficiency, 3D understanding, memory, and system integration.