Trump's AI Protectionism Extends to Robotics with Humanoid Import Ban

The Federal Trade Commission issued a sweeping ban on foreign imports of advanced robots, including humanoids, quadrupeds, and wheeled robots. The decision, made by a partisan and Trump-aligned FTC, cites national security risks from data collection and the need to protect US robotics companies from Chinese competition. The move extends Trump's AI protectionism beyond leading labs to an emerging robotics sector. Some US robotics companies welcome the ban, citing cybersecurity risks, but researchers warn it could harm the industry. US universities rely heavily on cheap Chinese robots from Unitree for research; 90% of recent robotics papers used Unitree robots. The price gap is significant: a Unitree quadruped costs about $4,600, while a comparable Boston Dynamics model may cost $278,000. Unitree plans to go public with a nearly $6 billion valuation, while US companies like Figure and 1X are not yet selling at scale. The symbolic impact is clear: the administration sees humanoid robotics as a strategic AI frontier. The FTC order includes many carve-outs, making its practical impact uncertain, but it marks a big change for a technology known for falling over onstage.