US Robotics Firms Push for National Strategy – China Competition

Post by: Omar Nasser

Photo : AP

American robot companies want the government to make a big plan for robots. They are also asking for a special office to help the robot industry. Right now, China is spending a lot of money on smart robots and making them a big part of its future plans.

Leaders from big robot companies like Tesla, Boston Dynamics, and Agility Robotics went to Washington, D.C., to meet government officials. They showed their new robots and asked for support to help American companies stay ahead in making the next big robots.

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Jeff Cardenas, who runs a robot company called Apptronik in Texas, told leaders that an American company, General Motors, was the first to use a robot in a car factory in 1961. But later, the U.S. lost its lead to Japan. Now, Japan and Europe are big names in making factory robots. He said the new robot race is powered by artificial intelligence, and any country could win. He believes the U.S. is leading, but without a strong plan, it could lose its position.

The Association for Advanced Automation, a group that supports robot companies, said the U.S. needs a clear plan. They want the government to help companies grow and use robots in more places. They also said that China and other countries already have plans, and if the U.S. does not act, it could fall behind in robots and artificial intelligence.

The group wants the government to give tax cuts to companies that use robots. They also want money for schools and research to train more engineers who can build new robots. A special government office for robots, they said, is important because the robot business is growing fast and other countries are moving quickly.

One U.S. leader, Raja Krishnamoorthi, said America is still ahead in robots but that China is spending a lot of money and moving fast. He said the U.S. needs to keep inventing new things and supporting businesses so it does not lose its lead.

Jonathan Chen, who works on Tesla’s new humanoid robot, said the most important thing is how fast a country can make robots. He said building a good robot is one thing, but making thousands of them for people to use is what will decide which country is number one.

China is already the biggest user of factory robots, with 1.8 million robots working in 2023. Japan and Europe still make most of the world’s big factory robots, but China is catching up fast and now makes about half of the robots used in its own country.

It is harder to know which country is leading in new robots, like human-shaped robots or robots that look like animals, because they are not used in many businesses yet. A company called Boston Dynamics, based in the U.S., started making these robots many years ago, but at first, they needed money from the U.S. military to build them.

China is working on a different plan by mixing robots with artificial intelligence. The Chinese government has put together a huge $138 billion fund to support robots, AI, and new technology. In a big celebration earlier this year, China showed off many dancing robots on TV. A company called Unitree, which competes with Boston Dynamics, made them. The event made many people in China proud of how far their country has come in robot-making.

China’s top leader, Premier Li Qiang, said the country would work hard to mix new digital technology with its strong factories. China wants to be a leader in smart robots and electric cars.

People in both the U.S. and China are interested in humanoid robots that look and move like people. But some experts think these robots may not be very useful. Bill Ray, a technology expert from the U.K., said robots that look like humans may not be the best idea. He believes robots that can do useful things, like carrying heavy boxes, are more important. He also does not think government plans will decide which country is best at robots because of global politics. He said we probably will not see American robots working in China or Chinese robots working in the U.S.

Jeff Cardenas, whose company gets support from big tech firms like Nvidia and Google, thinks a strong U.S. plan can help robots grow in the country. He also believes it will help more young people learn about robotics and become future robot builders. He said humanoid robots will play a big role in the future, not just because they are useful, but because they inspire people.

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