The US is banning foreign robots

<figure> <img alt="A humanoid robot from Unitree" data-caption="The Chinese robot maker, Unitree, will likely be impacted by the ban. | Bloomberg via Getty Images" data-portal-copyright="Bloomberg via Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/gettyimages-2281892623.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> The Chinese robot maker, Unitree, will likely be impacted by the ban. | Bloomberg via Getty Images </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The US government is targeting China with a new import ban on "advanced robotic devices" and power inverters made in foreign countries, as <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-administration-ban-new-chinese-robots-inverters-protecting-us-ai-buildout-2026-07-28/">reported earlier by <em>Reuters</em></a>. In <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-423682A1.pdf">an announcement on Tuesday</a>, the Federal Communications Commission says the ban will include "mobile" robots, such as humanoid and quadruped models - but it is not limited to robots that walk around.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Though the FCC says the move isn't targeted at a specific country, it will have a major impact on China as the country ramps up <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-humanoid-robots-ai-demand-7d542b5ee92caa9d79efa28de89afbbe">efforts to produce humanoid robots</a>, some of which we've seen in viral videos <a href="https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/robot-michael-jackson-wiping-out-illustrates-industry-problem">stumbling to Michael Jackson</a>, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/usd50-000-t800-robot-decapitates-fellow-android-in-worlds-first-robotics-mma-fight">partaking in MMA</a> fights, and <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3355993/brilliant-us-public-cheers-dancing-unitree-robots-while-congress-looks-ban-them">even appearing …</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/972259/us-foreign-robots-power-inverter-ban">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>