US Bans Chinese Humanoid Robots to Protect Domestic AI Infrastructure

The Trump administration has prohibited the import of new Chinese humanoid robots and connected power inverters.

The mandate, executed Tuesday by the Federal Communications Commission, is designed to shield domestic artificial intelligence networks from espionage and reshore critical manufacturing.

Washington intends to secure the U.S. AI supply chain against potential disruption, data theft, and cyberattacks.

The restrictions target robotic quadrupeds and bipeds, alongside the inverter hardware necessary to link data centers and renewable energy to electrical grids.

The regulatory body warned the equipment poses an unacceptable cybersecurity risk to critical infrastructure.

The FCC stated that "these devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt U.S. economic and national security."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also cautioned that Chinese artificial intelligence enterprises risk U.S. sanctions if discovered stealing intellectual property.

Targeting Industry Dominance

The prohibition directly impacts Unitree, a Chinese robotics manufacturer controlling nearly a fifth of the global market. The Pentagon recently classified Unitree as a military-backed entity.

Despite Unitree’s recent partnership with Nvidia to utilize advanced artificial intelligence processors, U.S. regulators remain cautious. Intelligence officials fear adversaries could exploit the machines.

The FCC noted that these robotic platforms "collect data that could be leveraged by malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots."

Policymakers aim to prevent a strategic dependency akin to the rare earth minerals market, where Beijing leveraged its dominance for geopolitical advantage.

Securing the Grid

The directive extends to power inverters, a sector currently dominated by heavily sanctioned Chinese firms such as Huawei and Sungrow Power Supply.

The inverter ban follows European regulatory moves and mounting alarm over state-sponsored cyber operations.

Authorities seek to prevent a repeat of Volt Typhoon, a 2023 hacking campaign where compromised private routers obscured attacks on American infrastructure.

The U.S. Department of Defense already prohibits the acquisition of Chinese-manufactured solar cells and inverters.

Trade Repercussions

The measures take effect immediately for unreleased models. The FCC retains the authority to retroactively revoke sales authorizations for existing products.

Sources indicate the agency will likely grant exemptions to non-Chinese suppliers, mirroring previous policies regarding foreign drones.

Beijing condemned the sanctions. The Chinese embassy in Washington urged the U.S. to "stop smearing Chinese companies" and warned that the state will take necessary measures to defend its interests.

The United States is also home to firms developing military humanoids. The Financial Times reported that an Eric Trump-backed start-up is in talks with the IDF to supply such robots.