United States looks to ban federal use of Chinese robots

A pair of United States senators wants to ban the use of Chinese robotics by the government.

Republican Tom Cotton and Democrat Chuck Schumer apparently plan to introduce a bill called the American Security Robotics Act that would bar the federal government from purchasing or using Chinese robots or "unmanned ground vehicles," Reuters reported. It's not entirely clear how much the U.S. government's buying of Chinese robots is a current, ongoing problem, or if it's just something the senators want to prevent in the future.

The Chinese robotics industry has been growing in recent years, with frequent flashy demonstrations happening at trade shows and whatnot. Companies like Unitree have made advancements in humanoid robots, but Schumer and Cotton are expressing fears about security in the face of more Chinese robots hitting the market. Whether those fears are legitimate or are an example of U.S. saber-rattling towards China might depend on one's point of view.

"[Chinese robotics companies] are running their standard playbook - this time ​in robotics - trying to ​flood the U.S. ⁠market with their technology, which presents real security risks and threats to Americans' privacy and American research and industry," Schumer said, per Reuters.

Schumer and Cotton aren't alone in this, as Rep. Elise Stefanik from New York plans to release an equivalent bill in the House of Representatives. The U.S.-China robotics rivalry is only going to get more heated from here.