After AI push, Trump admin is now looking to humanoid robots
Five months after President Trump's AI acceleration plan, his administration is now targeting humanoid robotics. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met with robotics CEOs, pledging full commitment to industry growth through a planned 2026 executive order. The Commerce Department backs robotics to aid reshoring production, and the Transportation Department will announce a robotics working group by year's end.
Interest on Capitol Hill is rising; although a Republican amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for a national robotics commission failed, other legislation is moving forward. This positions robotics as the next arena in U.S.-China competition, with the administration adopting industrial policy. Yet, it could undermine Trump's aim to revive manufacturing jobs.
AI progress allows humanoid robots to handle complex tasks with rapid data processing. China dominates, installing 1.8 million industrial robots in 2023—four times the U.S. total. Countries like China, Japan, Australia, Germany, and Singapore have national strategies. U.S. funding is set to reach $2.3 billion in 2025, doubling 2024 levels. Goldman Sachs predicts a $38 billion global humanoid market by 2035.
The industry is lobbying for tax incentives, funding for automation integration and supply chains, and trade measures against Chinese subsidies and IP practices. Apptronik CEO Jeff Cardenas urged a national strategy to maintain competitiveness; his company's Apollo humanoid already works in auto factories. Boston Dynamics' Brendan Schulman emphasized robotics' role in manufacturing, technology, national security, defense, and public safety, highlighting China's push for dominance.
The key tension remains: advancing robotics versus preserving jobs. Skeptics, citing a National Bureau of Economic Research paper, warn that automation cuts employment and earnings for routine workers, risking factories staffed by machines. Proponents counter that robots enhance productivity and create jobs in building and maintenance.
Association for Advancing Automation President Jeff Burnstein noted that robotics investments often lead to hiring as companies grow. Cardenas added, “It’s not man versus machine, but man and machine... robots that augment human capability.”