Trump’s AI protectionism has come for robotics
2026-08-20 · MIT Technology Review
Trump’s AI protectionism has come for robotics
The Current State of Humanoid Robots
Humanoid robots usually elicit more cringe than awe. They stumble, kick children, and despite recent advances remain worse at using their hands than a toddler. It is a nascent industry, and these robots are far more commonly seen in viral videos than in real workplaces or homes.
FCC Issues Sweeping Import Ban
Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a sweeping ban on foreign imports of advanced robots, including humanoids, quadrupeds, and wheeled robots. The decision was made by an increasingly partisan and Trump-aligned FCC.
The agency cited two main reasons:
- Foreign-made humanoids will collect vast amounts of data in homes and potentially at sensitive facilities, posing a national security threat.
- US robotics companies need protection from Chinese competition to build a more robust and secure domestic supply chain.
From Traditional Trade Protection to AI Strategy
On its face, this is a strategy to align political and industry interests that predates the Trump administration. Whenever China excels at producing cheap versions of strategic technologies such as solar panels, electric vehicles, and drones, the US government has responded with tariffs or procurement rules. These moves are invariably followed by debates over whether higher prices for consumers are worth the purported benefits.
However, robotics should now be seen as another piece of the AI industry — in many ways its cutting edge. The Trump administration is taking an increasingly aggressive approach to protecting the US AI industry, reportedly considering a ban on open-source Chinese models that often rival those from OpenAI and Anthropic at a fraction of the cost. Such a ban would prevent businesses from realizing an estimated $25 billion in annual savings.
The humanoid ban should therefore be understood not as another chapter in the old China trade playbook, but as evidence that the administration is expanding its protection of the AI industry beyond today’s leading labs. It is now willing to intervene on behalf of an emerging robotics sector that is still barely finding its footing.
Industry Reactions and the Critical Flaw
Some US robotics companies welcomed the FCC’s move. Gavin Kenneally, CEO of Ghost Robotics, which makes four-legged robots for inspections, said cybersecurity risks from foreign-made robots are real. The FCC cited an incident in which one man gained control of 7,000 robot vacuum cleaners. Kenneally stated that if the announcement encourages stronger cybersecurity and a more level competitive environment, it would benefit both customers and the industry.
Yet the policy contains a significant flaw. US robotics companies and academic labs are heavily reliant on cheap robots from China for research. They are building fleets that learn new tasks — from flipping waffles to doing laundry — and frequently purchase Chinese humanoids. Aaron Prather of the Association for Advancing Automation noted that the ruling “creates a challenge for US humanoid researchers.” Chinese models offer the best price-to-capability ratio. An internal review found that 90% of recent robotics research papers from US universities relied on robots from Unitree, China’s leading humanoid robotics company.
Stark Price Differences
The price gap is enormous:
- A four-legged robot from Unitree costs around $4,600.
- A comparable robot from Boston Dynamics can cost $278,000.
If robotics research is stunted by the unavailability of these affordable platforms, the FCC ruling could slow the industry’s progress rather than accelerate it.
Contrasting Positions of US and Chinese Industries
The US and Chinese robotics industries are in very different places. Unitree plans to go public this week with a targeted valuation of nearly $6 billion. No US robotics companies offer meaningful comparison. Figure’s humanoids are not yet selling at scale, and 1X’s robots are not yet shipping to homes.
That said, work on humanoids is becoming increasingly mainstream. Google released a new AI model last week designed to help humanoids learn new tasks faster. Its most impressive demonstrated ability — tying a trash bag — represents real progress given the persistent difficulty of robot dexterity.
Symbolic Significance
Although the FCC order contains many carve-outs that make its practical impact hard to predict, its symbolic impact is clear. The administration now views humanoid robotics not as a novelty, but as a strategic frontier of AI that is worth protecting from foreign competition. For a technology that until recently was mostly known for falling over onstage, that represents a significant change.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the Federal Trade Commission issued the ban. It was issued by the Federal Communications Commission.