Within the next ten years, there could be a humanoid robot in virtually every American home and workplace.They will hear and see everything.
This is our future.But, a key question remains: will these omnipresent robots be American or Chinese-made? Ensuring that the United States wins the robotics race is both a national security and economic imperative.
Both the administration and Congress are now working to address this challenge.Properly calibrated, these efforts demand broad bipartisan support and swift execution.Increasingly, robots represent the place where AI meets the physical world.
Large, stationary single-purpose robots will be replaced by general purpose humanoids that can learn and complete virtually any task.The potential benefits to productivity, efficiency, and safety are astounding.Imagine a humanoid robot that can care for an aging parent, serve as a personal chef, or assist a surgeon during a complex procedure.
These machines will enter burning buildings, clean up nuclear waste, work deep-sea pipelines, and staff dangerous and repetitive roles in American manufacturing that often cost workers their health and their lives.Goldman Sachs projects that the humanoid robot market could reach $38 billion by 2035.
The companies and countries that lead in this technology will enjoy a generational economic advantage and the geopolitical leverage that comes with it.Which brings us to the threat.HUMANOID ROBOTS HIT MASS PRODUCTION IN CHINAThis past Lunar New Year, Chinese robots went viral with a choreographed parade of humanoid robots dancing and performing martial arts in perfect unison — a spectacle equal parts impressive and unsettling.It was not an 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 pouring billions of dollars of state resources into ensuring Chinese supremacy in this emerging technology.
The plan is wor...