The US government announced on Tuesday a ban on importing new Chinese robots and power inverters to guard against national security risks to the US artificial intelligence (AI) supply chain and to promote the return of key industries to the United States.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced related measures that day, prohibiting the import of new Chinese humanoid robots, quadruped robots, and networked power inverters used to connect renewable energy and batteries to the grid and data center equipment.
This measure shows that the Trump administration is stepping up efforts to protect the US AI supply chain, preventing risks of supply disruption, data theft, and cyber attacks, while urging businesses to shift production back to the US.
In a statement, the FCC said these devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities, impact the US economy and national security, and pose cybersecurity risks to critical infrastructure. FCC Chair Brendan Carr also said: "The FCC will continue to do everything it can to secure America's critical supply chain."
The ban is expected to impact Chinese robot manufacturer Unitree Robotics, which is a global leader in humanoid robots with a market share close to one-fifth.
Recently, Unitree Robotics reached a partnership with Nvidia to use Nvidia’s advanced Blackwell chips to power the robot’s AI “brains.” Nvidia stated that the data collected by the robots will remain in the US, and Unitree Robotics’ main customers in the US are academic and research institutions.
However, US China hawks are concerned that these robots could be used to monitor critical US industries, transmit data to Beijing, or even interfere with the operation of important facilities.