Trump bans robots and inverters from China – and it could be a big win for Australia

The Trump administration has unveiled bans that target imports of new Chinese robots and power inverters, seeking ‌to protect the US AI buildout from national security threats and re-shore key industries slated for explosive growth.

The Federal Communications Commission 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 centre equipment.

The restrictions show the Trump administration is aiming to safeguard the US artificial intelligence supply chain from Chinese threats of disruption, data ‌theft and cyberattacks, while also driving firms to shift manufacturing to the US.

“These devices could create supply chain vulnerabilities that could disrupt US economic and national security and could create a cybersecurity risk that threatened American critical infrastructure,” the FCC said in a statement.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said Beijing “urges the United States to heed the objective and rational voices of the business communities in both countries” and “stop smearing Chinese companies and threatening them with sanctions.”

China’s government will “take all necessary measures in response to any action that causes material harm to its interests,” the embassy said.

Some analysts forecast broad ‌adoption of humanoid robots, topped with ‌AI-enabled “brains,” in consumer and industrial arenas, while ⁠explosive data-center construction in the US will depend on reliable sources of inverters.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned Chinese AI firms could face US ​sanctions for stealing US intellectual property.

US 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.

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 authorisations for sales of models that have already been authorised 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 .

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 US 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 US and that Unitree’s biggest customers are US ​academic ​and research institutions.

A win for Australia?

Trumps ban will add momentum to ongoing discussions around inverter cybersecurity, supply chain security and protection of critical infrastructure, but experts warn that Australia should act with caution and consideration of potential upsides.

“Australia does not need to abandon global supply chains or assume that a supplier’s country of origin alone determines its trustworthiness”, said Darren Gladman of SMA Australia.

“It does however highlight the need for a transparent and evidence-based approach to assessing supply chain security and risk of foreign ownership, control and influence.”

The Albanese Government is currently conducting a review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act, which is Australia’s main piece of cybersecurity legislation.

“Owners of renewable energy systems should know where technology is designed, where its data travels and is stored, how remote access is governed, who provides security updates, how vulnerabilities are disclosed and whether the inverter manufacturer’s claims have been tested independently,” says Gladman.

Public submissions to the Department of Home Affairs review of the SOCI Act close this Friday 31 July.

Source: AAP, with staff reporting