China installs 9x more industrial robots than US, and DC is worried
binarybits · x · 2026-10-18
Kai Williams recaps seven takeaways from the SCSP AI+ Robotics summit in Washington DC, organized by the think tank founded by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Key data from the International Federation of Robotics: China installed about 354,000 industrial robots in 2025 — over nine times the US figure and more than the rest of the world combined — with the majority made by Chinese companies. In 2023, nearly 90% of cobots shipped within China were Chinese-made, and Chinese firms produced over 97% of all humanoids shipped worldwide in H1 2026.
SCSP's interim report states plainly: "Physical AI at scale will define the next industrial era, and the United States is not on a trajectory to lead it."
Panel highlights: Jenn Wall, general counsel of Google's robotics software company Intrinsic, noted that the most prominent recent US actions are "defensive" — focused on keeping foreign robots out of the market rather than growing the domestic industry.
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