The US knows what it feels like when China controls a critical resource and decides to use it as leverage at the negotiating table. It has happened with rare earths and other strategic minerals, and he does not want it to be repeated either with robotics or with power electronics that sustains your data centers of artificial intelligence (AI). This is the scenario in which the Government led by Donald Trump has decided to act before this dependency becomes a vulnerability.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday announced new restrictions that prohibit the import of new-generation Chinese humanoid robots and quadruped robots, as well as connected power inverters. The latter are the equipment that links renewable energy sources and batteries with the electrical grid and data centers. This measure only affects new and not yet authorized models, but the FCC reserves the power to revoke authorizations that have already been granted.
The underlying fear is not only economic. The US Administration wants to avoid a cyberespionage campaign linked to the Chinese Government similar to the operation Volt Typhoon 2023, after several agencies have concluded that connected robotics and inverters represent vulnerabilities capable of exposing critical infrastructure to espionage or a blackout. Manufacturers, however, will be able to request conditional approval through an FCC process overseen by the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, in a scheme modeled on that which already exists for drones.
The US fears the mass adoption of Chinese robots
John Moolenaar, a Republican congressman who chairs the House Select Committee on China, has celebrated this decision: “Protect our country and strengthen our nation’s robotics industry.” China is by far the world’s largest manufacturer of power inverters, with Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei leading the way (the latter already strongly sanctioned by the US), and has been gaining share in the Western market with a very aggressive strategy of lowering prices.
Some analysts foresee mass adoption of humanoid robots equipped with AI-based “brains”
On the other hand, some analysts foresee a mass adoption of humanoid robots equipped with AI-based “brains”, while the accelerated construction of data centers in the US will depend on a reliable supply of inverters. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent I had already warned separately that Chinese AI companies could face US sanctions for intellectual property theft.
After yesterday’s measures, the FCC is expected to exempt numerous non-Chinese suppliers from these restrictions, as it already did with the recent bans on drones and routers foreigners. The logic is always the same: close the door to Beijing without also closing it to its own industrial allies. We will see what impact these measures have on the trade conflict between the US and China.
Image | UBTech Robotics
More information | Nikkei Asia
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