US bans humanoid robots from China, citing ‘unacceptable risks’

Move comes as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to keep Chinese technology out of the US The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on humanoid robots from China on Tuesday, saying that the technology poses “unacceptable risks” to the country’s national security. The move comes as the Trump administration has increasingly sought to keep Chinese technology out of the US. The FCC defines the banned robots as “advanced robotic devices”, which include humanoids and animal-like quadrupeds. “Advanced robotic devices 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,” FCC officials wrote in their determination of the threat posed by robots. In addition to the humanoid robots, the FCC also barred connected power inverters, which enable renewable energy sources and batteries to connect to grids and datacenter equipment. The restrictions point to the Trump administration’s goal of elevating technology made in the US, along with driving firms to shift manufacturing to be done locally. “The president has made clear that the United