The U.S. Department of Commerce has scheduled a roundtable for March 10 that will assemble domestic robot manufacturers to discuss ways to reinforce the American robotics sector and respond to competitive pressures from China. The meeting is being organized by the Commerce Department and aims to gather direct input from companies that build both manufacturing robots and humanoid machines.
An invitation issued by the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration sets out the session's purpose: to identify the principal supply-chain hurdles and policy challenges that affect U.S. robotics manufacturing and the deployment of robotic systems. The invitation targets manufacturers across the robotics spectrum, including firms that produce traditional industrial robots and those that develop humanoid platforms.
A Commerce spokesperson said the agency intends to use the roundtable to solicit industry feedback on federal robotics policies. Officials expect to hear a range of perspectives and opinions from participants, reflecting the diversity of the domestic robotics industry. At the same time, the Commerce Department has made clear that the discussion is not intended to duplicate or encroach on existing work concerning tariffs or import and export restrictions.
The meeting represents a federal effort to map out immediate operational and regulatory obstacles facing U.S. robotics firms, with an explicit objective of strengthening the domestic base in the face of Chinese competition. By bringing manufacturers together, the agency is seeking actionable input on supply-chain resilience and policy priorities that may affect how robots are built and deployed in the United States.
While the roundtable is designed to gather industry views, Commerce officials have indicated the session will remain distinct from established trade-related efforts. That delineation suggests the focus will be on domestic policy levers and operational challenges rather than on tariff-setting or trade restriction policymaking.
The Commerce Department's convening of robot-makers on March 10 is the next step in an administrative effort to better understand industry needs and to identify potential federal responses that could support manufacturing capacity, technological deployment, and competitiveness against foreign rivals.