Thoughts on US Robot Protectionism

Research evidence excerpt

Thoughts on US Robot Protectionism

Update

July 30, 2026 01:26 AM GMT

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLCMRobotics | North America Adam Jonas, CFA

Equity Analyst

Thoughts on US Robot Adam.Jonas@morganstanley.comWilliam Tackett, CFA +1 212 761-1726

Research Associate

William.Tackett@morganstanley.com +1 212 761-6028

Protectionism Andrew S Percoco

Andrew.Percoco@morganstanley.com +1 212 296-4322

An AI-enabled robot is far more than a helping hand in the Daniela M Haigian

kitchen or a barber shop. They are economically multiplicative, EquityDaniela.Haigian@morganstanley.comAnalyst +1 212 761-6071

militarily deterministic… (potentially) socially disruptive. The

Space Technology

Administration's move to slow China's robot roll isn't surprising - North America

the first of many moves to come? Industry View Attractive

Autos & Shared Mobility

North America

Key Takeaways Industry View In-Line

Yesterday's moves are not a '1-and-done'… but part of a longer sequence between

superpowers

The US supply chain and manufacturing 'gulf' to China is large, closing the gap

measured in decades - not years

An AI-enabled robot checks all the 'dual-purpose' boxes from a national security

perspective

Paradoxically, China will be a critical enabler for the US achieving an vertically

integrated on-shore capacity

"Pax Robotica" = competition AND entanglement, Balkanization and cooperation

at the same time

What happened? On July 28, the Trump administration unveiled measures barring

imports of new Chinese humanoid and quadruped robots, alongside connected

power inverters, framed as protecting the US AI buildout from national security

threats and reshoring key industries. The action runs through the FCC, which

released the measures Tuesday afternoon after the White House convened an