Researchers surveyed 1,500 IT and technology bosses from around the world to find out whether they believed robots posed an "existential" threat to humanity.
Research found that 49% of people believe robots will "destroy" humanity and eventually rule the world.
When asked about the timetable for robots to dominate the world, the general consensus is that by 2043, 20 years from now, there will be 10 billion robots in the world.
It is estimated that the global population will grow from the current 8 billion to about 9 billion by 2043, which means that in 20 years, there will be 1 billion more robots than humans on the earth.
Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has predicted the terrifying scenario of robots wiping out the human race. He said artificial intelligence may develop to the point where it is "out of human control".
He said: "The successful creation of artificial intelligence will be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it may also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks."
A report from online privacy company Atlas VPN supports this concern, with IT experts expressing their "concerns" about future "robot overlords".
The report found that many experts worry that robots are being made "too human" and that if they are given emotions and thinking abilities, humans may soon be wiped out.
A spokesperson for Atlas VPN said: "Sixty percent of the experts we spoke to said they think they will be working alongside intelligent robots within five years."
"While the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages, some IT workers also have reservations about AI."
"More than half of respondents (55%) said AI will create major privacy issues or put human jobs at risk."
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