United States looks to ban federal use of Chinese robots

A pair of US senators want to ban the government’s use of Chinese robotics.

Republican Tom Cotton and Democrat Chuck Schumer appear to be planning to introduce a bill called the “Secure American Robots Act” that would bar the federal government from buying or using Chinese robots or “unmanned ground vehicles,” Reuters reported. It’s not entirely clear to what extent the US government’s purchase of Chinese robots is an ongoing, ongoing problem, or whether it’s just something the senators want to prevent in the future.

The Chinese robotics industry has been growing rapidly in recent years shocking demonstrations takes place at trade shows and what not. Companies love it Unitree: have made progress in humanoid robots, but Schumer and Cotton articulate security fears in the face of more Chinese robots on the market. Whether those fears are legitimate or an example of the US striking back against China may depend on one’s perspective.

“[Chinese robotics companies] they are running their standard game, this time in robotics, trying to flood the US market with their technology, which poses real security risks and threats to American privacy and American research and industry,” Schumer said, according to Reuters.

Schumer and Cotton are not alone, as Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York plans to introduce a similar bill in the House of Representatives. The US-China robotics competition is only going to heat up from here.