NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
Within the next decade, there could be a humanoid robot in nearly every American home and workplace. They will hear and see everything. This is our future. But, an important question remains: will these ubiquitous robots be American-made or Chinese-made? Ensuring that the United States wins the robot race is a national security and economic imperative. Both the administration and Congress are now working to address this challenge. Well balanced, these efforts require broad bipartisan support and swift execution.
Increasingly, robots represent the place where AI meets the physical world. Large, immobile single-purpose robots will be replaced by general-purpose humanoids that can learn and complete any task. The potential benefits to productivity, efficiency, and safety are staggering.
Imagine a robot that can care for an elderly parent, be a personal chef, or assist a surgeon during a complex procedure. These machines will enter hot buildings, clean up nuclear waste, operate deep-sea pipelines, and perform dangerous and repetitive labor roles in American manufacturing that often cost workers their lives and livelihoods. Goldman Sachs projects that the market for humanoid robots could reach $38 billion by 2035. Companies and countries that lead in this technology will enjoy the benefits of economic productivity and the geopolitical development that comes with it.
Which brings us to danger.
HUMANOID ROBOTS ARE MOST MANUFACTURED IN CHINA
This past Lunar New Year, Chinese robotics went viral with an organized display of humanoid robots dancing and performing martial arts in perfect unison – a spectacle that is equal parts impressive and unsettling. It was not by accident. It was a message…a warning. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has identified humanoids as a strategic emerging industry and the country has been spending billions of dollars in state resources to ensure Chinese superiority in this emerging technology. The system is working. Some market reports indicate that 90% of all humanoid robots are made in China.
This is not just a trade problem for America. It’s a national security issue that is slow.
Consider the implications of the array of Chinese-made robots installed in American homes, hospitals, factories, and government agencies. These machines see, sense, and map the environment. They connect to the cloud. They receive software updates from their manufacturers that may change their behavior or release sensitive data on command. We are unaware of the dangers posed by modern technology. But, humanoid robots are a very close and important tool for surveillance and destruction. The smartphone knows your location. A humanoid robot knows your home, your family, your routines, and your secrets.
NEW REPORT WARNS OF GROWING NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT TO US AS CHINA BUILDS AI: ‘IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT’
China’s doctrine of military mobilization and the dual-use capabilities of humanoids make this even more alarming. The same robot that folds laundry in a suburban home can, with a software update, perform sorting, rechecking, or other practical tasks in a military environment. China’s army of commercial robots are a hidden tool of the Chinese state.
America has faced this kind of strategic technological competition before, and we have won. But, this was not luck. We succeeded with deliberate national strategies, combined public and private investment, and open-minded policy frameworks. We need a similar approach here.
Commercial drones offer a cautionary tale. A decade ago, the United States ceded that market to China without an industrial policy response. Today, Chinese manufacturers control the majority of the global drone market. American companies, law enforcement agencies, and military agencies found themselves dependent on Chinese hardware before policymakers realized the scope of the problem. We are now struggling to release dependencies that should never have been allowed to form in the first place. To their credit, the administration has tried to address the issue — including putting foreign-made drones on the FCC’s blacklist — but we’re playing catch-up and still far behind. We cannot repeat these mistakes with humanoids
The Trump administration has shown that it understands the importance of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, issuing ambitious strategies that marshal federal resources and direct both the public and private sectors to national priorities. Administrators are now developing a national robotics strategy. It is important that this initiative be bold and broad. Among other things, the National Robotics Strategy should: (1) establish clear goals for global leadership; (2) financing government procurement, investment, and research; (3) protect the supply chain of critical robot components; (4) strengthen America as a global leader in robotics standards; and (5) establish a framework that implements strict data security requirements and prevents infiltration by malicious actors.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE FOX NEWS
Congress should act similarly. Senators Schumer and Cotton recently introduced the Protect America Act, which effectively prevents the US government from buying and using most humanoid robots produced by Chinese firms. This rare display of bipartisanism underscores the gravity of the situation. The pending bill is a sensible first step, and Congress should be encouraged to build on it in a thoughtful and pragmatic way in this growing industry. Congress needs to install guardrails that protect the country from the dangers posed by China’s fully integrated robotics systems. But, at the same time, the government must take into account the fact that the important components of robots – including motors and magnets – are not yet competitively produced at home. We need to free ourselves from dependence on Chinese materials and start making these parts in the US Blunt-instrument ban will prevent the American industry from flourishing.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
The window to act is open, but not for long. The Lunar New Year video was just a preview. The country that holds the best humanoid robots will shape the virtual world the way the country that holds the best semiconductors owns the digital one. That country should be the United States.
The machines are coming. The only question is whose machines it will be.
