The Trump administration has implemented bans targeting new imports of Chinese humanoid and quadruped robots, as well as connected power inverters, citing national security concerns and the need to protect the U.S. artificial intelligence buildout. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the measures, which are intended to safeguard the U.S. AI supply chain from potential disruption, data theft, and cyberattacks originating from China, while also encouraging the reshoring of key industries.
"These devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt U.S. economic and national security and could create a cybersecurity risk that threatened American critical infrastructure," the FCC stated. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr added, "The FCC will continue to do our part to secure America’s critical supply chains."
The restrictions apply to new robot and inverter models not yet released, though the FCC has the authority to revoke existing authorizations. The move is part of a broader effort to prevent scenarios where China could leverage control over critical technological inputs, similar to its dominance in rare earth minerals.
China’s embassy in Washington criticized the U.S. action, urging the United States to "heed the objective and rational voices of the business communities in both countries" and to cease "smearing Chinese companies and threatening them with sanctions." The embassy also stated that China would "take all necessary measures in response to any action that causes material harm to its interests."
Analysts anticipate broad future adoption of humanoid robots, particularly those enhanced with AI. The construction of data centers in the U.S. is also reliant on reliable power inverters. The administration is concerned that robots could be used for surveillance, to extract data for foreign intelligence services, or to remotely control critical functions.
The ban is expected to affect companies like Unitree, a leading global manufacturer of humanoid robots. Unitree was recently added to the Pentagon's list of alleged Chinese military-backed companies. The firm had recently partnered with Nvidia to integrate AI chips into its robots, with Nvidia stating that data from these robots would remain in the U.S. and that its primary customers are U.S. academic and research institutions.
In the power inverter market, China is a dominant producer, with companies such as Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei being major players. Beijing has been increasing its market share in Western countries by offering lower prices. The FCC's action on inverters follows similar concerns raised in Europe and potential risks associated with malware disruption during installation. U.S. officials are also seeking to avoid scenarios akin to the 2023 Volt Typhoon hacking campaign, where compromised routers were used to mask attacks on American critical infrastructure.
The U.S. Department of Defense already has restrictions in place that bar the procurement of solar photovoltaic cells, modules, or inverters manufactured by foreign entities deemed a concern, including Chinese companies. Following these new measures, the FCC is expected to exempt many non-Chinese suppliers, a pattern observed in previous bans on foreign drones and routers.