On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — the US agency that regulates communications technology — announced a ban on humanoid robots from China. The agency said the robots pose 'unacceptable risks' to US national security. The ban also covers connected power inverters, which are devices that manage how electricity flows through power grids and large buildings The Guardian.

The FCC calls the banned devices 'advanced robotic devices,' a group that includes humanoid robots and animal-like robots that walk on four legs. The agency gave three main reasons for the ban. First, these robots collect data that could be used to spy on Americans. Second, that data could help foreign intelligence services. Third, someone outside the US could potentially take remote control of the robots The Guardian. The fact that power inverters are included alongside robots shows the government is also worried about infrastructure — the systems that keep electricity running — not just consumer gadgets The Guardian.

Right now, the ban only applies to robot and inverter models that have not yet gone on sale. But the FCC kept the power to revoke approval for models already being sold in the US The Guardian. Think of it as a gate: new devices can't get in, and devices already inside could still be pulled back if the government decides they're a risk.

The ban reaches beyond finished robots to the parts inside them. An FCC document published July 23, 2026 — numbered FCC-26-50A1 — discusses extending the prohibition to include logic-bearing components, which are the small chips and controllers that act as a device's brain FCC. By naming specific companies that make these parts, the rule tries to cut off the supply chain at the chip level, making it harder for anyone to get around the ban by simply assembling or rebranding robots through other countries.

This ban is part of a bigger goal: supply chain decoupling, which means separating US technology supply chains from Chinese sources. An unnamed Trump administration official told Reuters that the President has made clear the US must have independent and secure supply chains for critical technologies like robots and power inverters The Guardian. Reuters also reported that the ban is meant to protect the US AI buildout — the country's effort to build up its artificial intelligence capabilities Reuters.

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ban The Guardian.

The broader context here is that robotics, power infrastructure, and artificial intelligence are increasingly tangled together in US policy. By targeting the chips inside robots, the inverters that manage electricity, and the robots themselves all at once, the FCC is treating the whole robotics supply chain as one connected security problem. Power inverters control electricity in grids and big facilities. Pairing them with robots in a single ban suggests the government sees the combination of moving machines, data collection, and power management as one big threat.

The mention of protecting the US AI buildout ties the ban to the global race for artificial intelligence. Humanoid robots are increasingly used as data-gathering tools. Their sensors, cameras, and internet connections produce large amounts of information that can help train AI models. Blocking Chinese robots from the US market keeps foreign-made devices out of that data flow.

The risk of remote control makes the ban about more than just privacy or spying. If a robot or a power inverter has compromised chips inside, someone could theoretically take control of it from the outside. For a power inverter, that could mean destabilizing an electrical grid. For a robot, it could mean taking physical control of a machine that moves around near people or in sensitive locations.

The FCC's decision to keep its power to revoke existing approvals means companies selling already-authorized Chinese robots face uncertainty — the government could come back for those devices later. With no response yet from the Chinese embassy, the diplomatic path forward for this specific ban is unclear. But the ban fits a familiar pattern: the US has been restricting Chinese telecommunications and technology firms for years.