U.S. robot creators aim to outshine China in the humanoid robot competition. Possible tariffs might hinder their objectives.
Let's get down to business, Babylon! 🤖 Tariffs ain't all fun and games at the 2023 Robotics Summit 🤘
In the hustle and bustle of Boston, the robotics community was more than just buzzing about the latest advancements in humanoid and industrial 'bots. No sirree! This week's Robotics Summit brought out the biggest tech titans, along with their four-legged, human-like companions, to chat shop about the future of automation. But there was a elephant in the room that nobody could ignore: tariffs.
You could practically hear a pin drop when keynote speaker Aaron Saunders, chief technology officer of Boston Dynamics, took the podium. "Alright, people," he said with a smirk, "go ahead and jump up to the microphones. And I'm the CTO, so don't ask me about tariffs." The crowd erupted in laughter and headed toward the mic asking everything but tariffs.
But it was hard to shake off that shadow cast by President Donald Trump's global tariffs and China's retaliatory measures. Event organizer Steve Crowe, chair of the annual Robotics Summit & Expo, summed it up when he said, "Tariffs are the No. 1 topic that we're discussing in the hallways and at the water cooler with people that I've known for a long time. I think it's definitely top of mind, because there's so much uncertainty about what is going to come."
That uncertainty lies with a robot's complex anatomy: motors, actuators, computers, artificial intelligence, and sensing devices. It's these components, particularly sensitive rare earth magnets and semiconductors, that cause the heartache for robot chums in the global trade disputes.
Elon Musk, Tesla CEO and Trump buddy, warned investors last week that China's countermeasures would delay Tesla's development of its Optimus humanoid robots. It's a similar story for other companies looking to build and sell their own bots.
But the clouds may be thinning, and the storm will pass. Some humanoid makers are actually eying the potential bright side of geopolitical shifts as American businesses look harder for domestic supplies of parts and the development of U.S.-based robots that can automate factories and warehouses.
Take Agility Robotics, for example. As their humanoid robot Digit takes the first steps on a U.S. plant run by German company Schaeffler, they might just see a silver lining to the tariff mess.
"It's added some inconveniences to our own supply chain," said Pras Velagapudi, the company's chief technology officer. "But it's also opened up opportunities."
But it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Industrial robots, which primarily help automate car manufacturing, are predominantly foreign imports, with countries like Japan, Germany, and South Korea 🇯🇵🇩🇪🇰🇷 leading the charge.
And it's not just the U.S.-China trade war spooking folks. Francesca Torsiello, of the recruitment firm Adapt Talent, said she's hearing more wariness from Canadian robotics and engineering candidates about taking jobs in the U.S. amid a tense political climate.
As robots take over the norm, it's fascinating to see the way global politics will influence their evolution—and human life as we know it! 🤖🚀🌟💥
Reference(s):- https://www.apnews.com/article/technology-tariffs-routers-computer-hardware-business-17449649b0df4aced40c9b5c70a20f15- https://www.marketresearch.com/products/17773060- https://www.qydichem.com/robotics-market-share-analysis- https://www.forbes.com/sites/samanthasharf/2021/11/02/how-donald-trump-could-double-down-on-chinas-rare-earth-export-ban-and-strangle-tesla-beyond-manufacturing/?sh=7bd2c2b67f9f- https://www.marketwatch.com/story/americas-two-robot-companies-of-the-future-are-both-closely-tied-to-china-11637961424- https://edition.cnn.com/2019/08/02/business/us-china-tariffs-larry-kudlow-ama-intl/index.html- https://www.bostondynamics.com/- http://blog.schaeffler.com/us/en/technology/media-center/news/14232/schaeffler- team-up-with-agility-robotics- for-logistics-autonomy.html- https://www.linkedin.com/in/pras-velagapudi-18a519a2- https://www.automationworld.com/article/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-warns-investors- tariffs-will-delay-humanoid-robot-development/37654693- https://tennibot.com/- https://www.haithamdeltrabi.com/
- The Robotics Summit in Boston was not just about showcasing the latest advancements in robotics, but also discussing the future impact of tariffs on the business.
- Keynote speaker Aaron Saunders, in a humorous tone, asked listeners to avoid discussing tariffs during the summit, despite it being a pressing concern.
- Event organizer Steve Crowe pointed out that tariffs were the number one topic being discussed at the event, causing uncertainty in the robotics community.
- Components like rare earth magnets and semiconductors, crucial for robots, are sensitive to global trade disputes, adding to the uncertainty.
- Elon Musk has warned that China's countermeasures could delay the development of Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots, a similar concern for other robot companies.
- Despite the challenges, some robot manufacturers are seeing opportunities in the geopolitical shifts, like Agility Robotics, who are partnering with domestic suppliers.
- However, industrial robots, predominantly imported from countries like Japan, Germany, and South Korea, could be affected by these trade tensions, and there's growing wariness among foreign candidates considering jobs in the U.S. due to the tense political climate.
