US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China | AP News
Related Stories A Realbotix humanoid robot, center, speaks with attendees at a Realbotix booth during the CES tech show Jan. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas.
Key takeaways
- The most recent developments show that humanoid robots are becoming both a commercial focus and a geopolitical flashpoint.
- In the United States, the federal government announced a ban on imports of foreign‑made humanoid and quadruped robots, specifically targeting Chinese manufacturers on national‑security grounds, a move that will cut off the dominant Chinese market share—estimated at roughly 85%—from its largest export market (U.S. ban reported in late July 2026).
- At the same time, major U.S. airlines have tightened safety rules: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have joined Southwest in prohibiting human‑ or animal‑like robotic devices from cabin or checked‑baggage areas, citing battery‑safety concerns (policy updates issued in June and July 2026).
- In China, electric‑vehicle giant BYD confirmed it will unveil its first commercial humanoid robot in August at its Di Space experience centres, planning to place two or three robots in every BYD store within the next few years (announcement made July 28‑29, 2026).
- Meanwhile, Google DeepMind released Gemini Robotics 2, a vision‑language‑action model that can control an entire humanoid body—including walking, balancing and dexterous hand manipulation—using Apptronik’s Apollo 2 platform, highlighting a shift toward foundation‑model intelligence across diverse robot hardware (demo unveiled July 30, 2026).
A Realbotix humanoid robot, center, speaks with attendees at a Realbotix booth during the CES tech show Jan. 8, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
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3 MIN READ A worker reacts near a line of humanoid robots displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A worker reacts near a line of humanoid robots displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A worker reacts near a line of humanoid robots displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A variety of robots are displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A worker reacts near a line of humanoid robots displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A variety of robots are displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A variety of robots are displayed at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Friday, July 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A humanoid robot waves Chinese national flags at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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A humanoid robot waves Chinese national flags at the World AI Conference in Shanghai, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
US bans foreign-made humanoid robots, targeting China over national security
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