The story

The Federal Communications Commission announced Tuesday it would ban imports of new foreign-made humanoid and quadruped robots, as well as connected power inverters, citing national security risks. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said the move was to secure America's critical supply chains. The administration said the networked capabilities of advanced robotic systems create vulnerabilities for attacks that could manipulate data and physical operations, and that these devices could enable spying on Americans or trigger widespread power blackouts.

China currently dominates global humanoid robot production, with analysts estimating Chinese humanoid robots hold roughly 85% of global market share. According to Barclays, China accounted for around 85% of humanoid deployments globally last year. Of the around 15,000 humanoid robots shipped globally in 2025, Unitree and AGIBOT, two of China's largest advanced robotics companies, each shipped more than 5,000. Morgan Stanley analysts forecast China's humanoid robot market could reach $15 billion by 2030.

The ban only affects new models and will not prevent use of existing equipment or sales of previously authorized models. Producers can seek conditional approval for new models from the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security through an FCC application process. China's embassy in Washington said Beijing will take all necessary measures in response to any action that causes material harm to its interests. The restrictions come ahead of a planned Trump-Xi summit in September.