The Robotics Summit in Boston this week was meant to be a celebration of innovation, but politics crept into the conversation.
While tariffs were not listed on the official agenda, they were clearly on everyone’s mind. Elon Musk recently warned investors that China’s restriction on rare earth magnet shipments will delay development of Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus.
Though the summit focused on autonomous technology, supply chain worries surfaced as many robot parts—such as motors, magnets, and semiconductors—are sourced globally.
Aaron Saunders, Chief Technology Officer at Boston Dynamics, tried to steer clear of politics, jokingly asking attendees not to ask him about tariffs during his keynote.
Despite the humour, the impact of US-China trade tensions was difficult to ignore. A humanoid robot from Chinese company Unitree greeted attendees, a reminder of the global nature of the robotics industry. Due to US tariffs, its price could soar from $16,000 to $40,000 for American buyers.
Many industry leaders acknowledged that tariffs are forcing companies to rethink how and where they manufacture. Steve Crowe, organiser of the summit, said tariffs were the top topic of informal discussion.
Pras Velagapudi of Agility Robotics noted that supply chain troubles bring both inconvenience and opportunity, especially for American firms aiming to localise production.
But for some, such as Tennibot CEO Haitham Eletrabi, the cost of importing components from around the world remains a growing concern.
As global tensions rise, so too does uncertainty—threatening to slow the future of humanoid robotics.
