Trump administration bans Chinese robots and power inverters to protect US AI infrastructure

EXCLUSIVE: Trump administration to ban new Chinese robots and inverters, protecting US AI buildout

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday plans to unveil new bans that target imports of the latest Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore ⁠key industries slated for explosive growth, U.S. officials said. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon plans to roll out the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots -- in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and data center equipment, the people said. The restrictions, whose imminent release has not been previously reported, show the Trump administration is aiming to ⁠safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to the U.S. "The President has made clear that the United States must have independent and ⁠secure supply chains for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters," said an administration official, who declined to be named because the matter ⁠was not public. "Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize ⁠America," he added. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah McFarlane; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Trump administration to ban new Chinese robots and inverters, protecting U.S. AI

The Trump administration on Tuesday plans to unveil new bans that target imports of ⁠the latest Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking ⁠to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key industries slated for explosive growth, U.S. officials said. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon plans to roll out the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots -- in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and data center equipment, the people said. The ⁠restrictions, whose imminent release has not been previously reported, show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to ⁠the U.S. "The President has made clear that the United ⁠States must have independent and secure supply chains ⁠for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters," said an administration official, who declined to be named because the matter was not public. "Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize America," he added. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trump administration bans Chinese hardware with eye on AI race

Why it matters: The action targeting China comes as the race between Beijing and Washington to dominate AI heats up. How it works: Power inverters, a key part of the electricity infrastructure needed to power AI data centers, and new humanoid and quadruped robots will be placed on a list of equipment deemed by the administration to pose "unacceptable risk to the national security of the U.S. or the safety and security of U.S. persons." * The administration determined that these foreign-produced products, regardless of the manufacturer's nationality, pose that level of risk. * In practice, the move is expected to hit China the hardest. * Some foreign manufacturers would still be able to sell their products in the U.S. if they receive conditional approval from officials. Threat level: The administration argues that advanced robots' networked capabilities could be exploited to spy on Americans, bolster foreign intelligence capabilities or be remotely commandeered by malicious actors. * It also says that the growing role of power inverters in the U.S. electrical grid has created new vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and supply chain manipulation. * Last year, two researchers found China-based manufacturer Unitree Robotics pre-installed an apparent backdoor on its popular Go1 robot dogs that allowed anyone to surveil customers around the world. The big picture: The number of new robots deployed each year has more than doubled from a decade ago, now topping 500,000 units globally. * But China is ahead on the robot revolution with more than 2 million industrial robots inside its factories -- five times more than the U.S. What we're watching: The Trump administration is also grappling with how to deal with software from China, as open-source models spark concerns among some policymakers.

Exclusive-Trump Administration to Ban New Chinese Robots and Inverters, Protecting US AI Buildout

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - ⁠The ⁠Trump administration on Tuesday ⁠plans to unveil new bans that target imports of the latest Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key ⁠industries slated ⁠for explosive growth, U.S. officials said. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon plans to roll out the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots -- in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources ⁠and batteries ⁠to connect to ⁠grids and data center equipment, the people said. The restrictions, whose imminent release has not been ⁠previously reported, show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving ⁠firms to shift manufacturing to the U.S. "The President has made ⁠clear that the United States must have independent and secure supply chains for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters," said an administration official, who declined to be named because the matter was not public. "Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced ⁠and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize America," he added. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah McFarlane; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis)

US to ban imports of Chinese robots and power inverters - Reuters By Investing.com

Investing.com -- The Trump administration announced new import restrictions on Chinese-made humanoid and quadruped robots and connected power inverters through the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report. The FCC stated the bans address national security risks related to artificial intelligence and energy supply chains. Officials said the measures aim to prevent data theft, cyberattacks, and potential disruptions to critical infrastructure. The administration said the restrictions are intended to encourage companies to relocate manufacturing operations to the United States. Advanced robots targeted by the ban use artificial intelligence, sensors, and continuous data processing. Regulators expressed concern that foreign-made connectivity systems in these machines could enable corporate espionage, unauthorized data collection, or remote control vulnerabilities. Connected power inverters convert direct current from renewable energy sources and battery systems into alternating current for electrical grids and data centers. The administration views these components as critical to computing infrastructure that supports AI models. The FCC said securing hardware that delivers power to data centers is necessary to prevent supply chain manipulation and cyber threats to the energy grid. The import bans represent part of a broader policy approach toward separating U.S. supply chains from China in sectors deemed strategically important. This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Trump administration bans new Chinese humanoid robots, to protect US AI buildout

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday unveiled bans that target imports of new Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key industries slated for explosive growth. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon released the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots, in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and data center equipment. The restrictions, as first reported by Reuters, show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to the U.S. "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 said in a statement. "The FCC will continue to do our part to secure America's critical supply chains," FCC Chairman Brendan Carr added in the press release. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Humanoid robots, topped with AI-enabled "brains," are forecast by some analysts for broad adoption in consumer and industrial arenas, while explosive data-center construction in the U.S. will depend on reliable sources of inverters. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Chinese AI firms could face U.S. sanctions for stealing U.S. intellectual property. U.S. officials are also keen to avoid another scenario as happened with rare earth minerals -- critical inputs for tech manufacturing so dominated by China that Beijing has been able to leverage access to them to secure big wins on the international stage. FCC LIKELY TO EXEMPT NON-CHINESE SUPPLIERS Following Tuesday's actions, the FCC is expected to exempt many non-Chinese suppliers from the restrictions, as it has done with recent bans on foreign drones and routers, four additional sources said. The measures, which went into effect upon publication, apply only to robot and inverter models that have not yet been released. However, the FCC has the authority to revoke authorizations for sales of models that have already been authorized for purchase in the United States. President Donald Trump is credited with bringing international attention to the tech threat posed by China during his first term, giving voice to concerns about intellectual property theft by Chinese firms, and the threat of state-sponsored spying by Chinese telecom juggernauts like Huawei . But he has so far taken a much more dovish approach during his second term, faced with Beijing's aggressive use of export controls on rare earth minerals last year. CHINESE ROBOT MAKER IN CROSSHAIRS The robot ban is expected to hit Unitree, a world leader in humanoid robots with just under a fifth of global market share, according to Counterpoint Research. The firm, which is one of three Chinese companies dominating the nascent but buzzy industry, was recently added to the Pentagon's list of alleged Chinese military-backed companies, which can be a harbinger of tougher U.S. action. Unitree recently formed a partnership with Nvidia to use the AI chip company's cutting-edge Blackwell chip to power the brain of a Unitree robot. Nvidia has said data from the robots will remain in the U.S. and that Unitree's biggest customers are U.S. academic and research institutions. China hawks fear the robots could spy on key U.S. industries, exfiltrating data to Beijing or disrupting their key functions. Robots "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," the FCC said on Tuesday. U.S. Representative John Moolenaar, a Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on China and has proposed legislation targeting Chinese robots for national security reviews and potential bans, said the FCC move "protects our country and strengthens our nation's robotics industry." China is the world's largest maker of inverters, led by Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei, already heavily sanctioned by the U.S. Beijing has been expanding its share in the Western inverter market by driving down prices. Reuters previously reported that the FCC was working on a Chinese inverter ban, inspired by recent action by Europe and concerns around disruption and installation of malware. Authorities want to avoid another Chinese government-linked hacking campaign like the one dubbed Volt Typhoon, revealed in 2023. By taking control of privately owned routers, the attackers sought to hide subsequent attacks on American critical infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Defense is already barred from procuring solar photovoltaic cells, modules or inverters manufactured by a foreign entity of concern, which would include Chinese companies. Unitree, Sungrow and Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah McFarlane and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis) By Alexandra Alper and David Shepardson

Trump administration to ban new Chinese humanoid robots, protecting US AI buildout

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday plans to unveil bans that target imports of new Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key industries slated for explosive growth, U.S. officials said. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon plans to roll out the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots -- in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and data center equipment, the people said. The restrictions, whose imminent release has not been previously reported, show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to the U.S. "The President has made clear that the United States must have independent and secure supply chains for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters," said an administration official, who declined to be named because the matter was not public. "Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize America," he added. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Humanoid robots, topped with AI-enabled "brains," are forecast by some analysts for broad adoption in consumer and industrial arenas, while explosive data-center construction in the U.S. will depend on reliable sources of inverters. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that Chinese AI firms could face U.S. sanctions for stealing U.S. intellectual property. U.S. officials are also keen to avoid another scenario as happened with rare earth minerals -- critical inputs for tech manufacturing so dominated by China that Beijing has been able to leverage access to them to secure big wins on the international stage. FCC LIKELY TO EXEMPT NON-CHINESE SUPPLIERS As part of the measures slated to be announced on Tuesday, the FCC will ban foreign imports of new models of targeted technologies and is then expected to exempt many non-Chinese suppliers from the restrictions, as it has done with recent bans on foreign drones and routers, four additional sources said. The restrictions, which will go into effect upon publication, will apply only to robot and inverter models that have not yet been released, another U.S. official said. However, the FCC has the authority to revoke authorizations for sales of models that have already been authorized for purchase in the United States. President Donald Trump is credited with bringing international attention to the tech threat posed by China during his first term, giving voice to concerns about intellectual property theft by Chinese firms, and the threat of state-sponsored spying by Chinese telecom juggernauts like Huawei . But he has so far taken a much more dovish approach during his second term, faced with Beijing's aggressive use of export controls on rare earth minerals last year. CHINESE ROBOT MAKER IN CROSSHAIRS The robot ban is expected to hit Unitree, a world leader in humanoid robots with just under a fifth of global market share, according to Counterpoint Research. The firm, which is one of three Chinese companies dominating the nascent but buzzy industry, was recently added to the Pentagon's list of alleged Chinese military-backed companies, which can be a harbinger of tougher U.S. action. Unitree recently formed a partnership with Nvidia to use the AI chip company's cutting-edge Blackwell chip to power the brain of a Unitree robot. Nvidia has said data from the robots will remain in the U.S. and that Unitree's biggest customers are U.S. academic and research institutions. China hawks fear the robots could spy on key U.S. industries, exfiltrating data to Beijing or disrupting their key functions. China is the world's largest maker of inverters, led by Sungrow Power Supply and Huawei, already heavily sanctioned by the U.S. Beijing has been expanding its share in the Western inverter market by driving down prices. Reuters previously reported that the FCC was working on a Chinese inverter ban, inspired by recent action by Europe and concerns around disruption and installation of malware. Authorities want to avoid another Chinese government-linked hacking campaign like the one dubbed Volt Typhoon, revealed in 2023. By taking control of privately owned routers, the attackers sought to hide subsequent attacks on American critical infrastructure. The U.S. Department of Defense is already barred from procuring solar photovoltaic cells, modules or inverters manufactured by a foreign entity of concern, which would include Chinese companies. Unitree, Sungrow and Huawei did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah McFarlane and David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis)

Trump administration to ban new Chinese robots and inverters, protecting US AI buildout

WASHINGTON, July 28 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Tuesday plans to unveil new bans that target imports of the latest Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking to protect the U.S. AI buildout from national security threats and reshore key industries slated for explosive growth, U.S. officials said. The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday afternoon plans to roll out the measures, which bar Chinese imports of new humanoid and quadruped robots -- in addition to connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and data center equipment, the people said. The restrictions, whose imminent release has not been previously reported, show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the U.S. artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to the U.S. "The President has made clear that the United States must have independent and secure supply chains for critical and emerging technologies like robotic devices and power inverters," said an administration official, who declined to be named because the matter was not public. "Economic security is national security, and the Trump administration continues to implement a nuanced and multi-faceted policy agenda to reindustrialize America," he added. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Sarah McFarlane; Editing by Chris Sanders and Matthew Lewis)