The administration of US President Donald Trump has banned imports of new Chinese humanoid and quadruped robots, as well as new Chinese inverters used in solar installations and data centers, citing national security considerations and the need to protect the US supply chain in the field of artificial intelligence, Reuters and DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The measures were announced by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and took effect immediately. They apply only to models that have not yet received permission to be sold in the United States. Devices that have already been approved can continue to be imported and used, but the commission reserves the right to revoke issued permits.
According to the department, network-connected devices can create a risk of espionage, data theft, remote control and cyberattacks against the country's critical infrastructure.
“These devices could create vulnerabilities in the supply chain that could threaten the economic and national security of the United States, as well as create a risk to cybersecurity“, the commission said in a statement.
Its chairman Brendan Carr said that the institution will continue its efforts to protect critical American supply chains.
US authorities define as mobile robots devices weighing more than two kilograms that can move independently, avoid obstacles and have sensors, network connectivity and autonomous navigation software. The definition could also include some advanced robot vacuum cleaners. The ban does not apply to stationary industrial robots.
According to officials, the restrictions are intended to both limit national security risks and encourage the relocation of production to the United States.
Reuters notes that among the companies most affected is likely to be Chinese manufacturer Unitree, which, according to Counterpoint Research, holds about a fifth of the global market for humanoid robots.
The company was recently added to the Pentagon's list of companies suspected of having ties to the Chinese military. Unitree also uses Nvidia's latest Blackwell chips (Nvidia) as a computing platform for its robots. Nvidia said that the data generated by the robots will be stored in the United States and that Unitry's largest customers are American universities and research institutes.
Congressman John Mullenaar, chairman of the House of Representatives special committee on China, welcomed the decision, saying that it "protects the country and strengthens the domestic robotics industry."
The ban also covers Chinese inverters that convert direct current from photovoltaic panels into alternating current for the power grid. Chinese manufacturers, including Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei, (Huawei), are world leaders in this sector.
According to the commission, grid-connected inverters can be used to collect data or remotely disrupt critical infrastructure. The agency also cited concerns raised by the “Volt Typhoon” cyber campaign, revealed in 2023, in which Chinese-linked hackers used compromised routers to attack US infrastructure.
The Chinese embassy in Washington urged the US to “listen to the objective and rational voices of the business community” and stop targeting Chinese companies.
The diplomatic mission warned that Beijing would take “all necessary measures” in response to actions that cause significant harm to Chinese interests.
Analysts expect humanoid robots with artificial intelligence to find widespread use in both industry and the consumer sector, and reliable inverters to be a key element of the rapidly expanding data center infrastructure in the United States.