AP Technology Writer Matt O’Brien
BOSTON (AP) – Tariffs were not the agenda for this week’s Robotics Summit. There, thousands of high-tech industry workers discussed how they could mix with humanoids and other robot varieties to build and sell increasingly autonomous machines.
At least it’s not an official agenda.
“Jump to the microphone,” said Aaron Sanders, chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics, “Jump on the microphone.” “And as I’m a CTO, don’t ask me about customs duties.”
The crowd followed with a laugh. However, it was difficult to ignore the shadow of widespread global tariffs and retaliation measures from China, President Donald Trump’s world’s biggest target, as they streamed to the show floor of a Boston convention center and were greeted by the remote, dominant humanoid created by Chinese company Unitree.
“We’re a great opportunity to see the world of events,” said event organizer Steve Crowe, chairman of the annual Robotics Summit & Expo. “There’s so much uncertainty about what’s coming, so I think it’s definitely the best.”
Guests at the convention will be monitored as Boston’s dynamics robots are demoted at the Robotics Summit & Expo on Wednesday, April 30th in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
The human-like unitry robot on the right hand over the Boston Robotics Summit & Expo, Robotics Summit & Expo, to convention guests at the Boston Robotics Summit & Expo. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Representatives from the Unitree Company will be discussing with convention guests at the company’s product booth on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Steve Crow of Robotics Summit & Expo made a gesture on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 during an interview in Boston on the convention floor. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Al Makke, engineering director at Schaeffler Group USA, made a gesture on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 during an interview in Boston at the Robotics Summit & Expo. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Pras Velagapudi, Chief Technology Officer of Oregon-based Agility Robotics, will listen on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 during an interview in Boston at the Robotics Summit & Expo. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Casper Van Eersel, president of Imsystems, a Netherlands-based company that manufactures robotic components, will discuss with convention guests on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Human-like unitary robots are surrounded by convention guests as they hand out company brochures at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Dog-like unit robots will perform during demonstrations at the Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 when a human-like unit robot handed out a company brochure to a convention guest. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Guests at the convention will be monitored as Boston’s dynamics robots are demoted at the Robotics Summit & Expo on Wednesday, April 30th in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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That concern is rooted in the complex anatomy of robotic motors and actuators, detecting devices that move your limbs and help computers promote artificial intelligence and respond to their surroundings. Sensors, semiconductors, batteries, and rare earth magnets are one of the arrays of components that are most sensitive to global trade disputes.
Tesla CEO and billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk last week warned investors last week that measures to limit China’s rare earth magnet shipments would slow the development of Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots.
At the summit on Wednesday and Thursday, some humanoid makers saw the potential bright side of geopolitical change. American companies are looking more rigorously at the development of US-based robots that can automate domestic parts supply and factories and warehouses.
“It added some inconveniences to our own supply chain. But it also opened up opportunities,” said Pras Velagapudi, chief technology officer at Oregon-based Agility Robotics, in an interview. The company is now deploying a humanoid robot called Digit, a manufacturer of other components that are key to the automotive industry at a US factory run by German manufacturer Schaeffler, a manufacturer of ball bearings.
Al Makke, engineering director at Schaeffler’s Chassis Systems, said tariffs could push many companies to oversee the production of various items in the United States.
“If that happens, automation will be further driven as local businesses have to deal with high labor costs and labor shortages,” McKe said. “And one of the faces of automation is humanoids.”
Most of the large industrial robots employed in the US are used to help manufacture cars and are imported from countries such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea.
The US automaker installed 9.6% more robots on plants than a year ago, according to new data from the International Federation of Robots, a trading group.
For now, humanoids are still a niche, but they are inducing intense curiosity thanks to popular science fiction. Sanders of Hyundai’s Boston Dynamics announced an update on Wednesday on the development of the Atlas humanoid robot, but did not bring in a physical prototype.
The only humanoid at the meeting was Unitree’s G1. The robot, which sold for $16,000 and remotely controlled by employees standing nearby, slowly shook hands, turned to people, roamed the show floor, but didn’t immediately move the tote or work in the factory.
The main clients outside China are academic researchers and some social media influencers, and Trump’s current tariffs totaling 145% on China will raise costs to US buyers to around $40,000, said Tony Yang, vice president of business development unit that manages sales in North America. Nevertheless, Unitree’s strategy of quickly developing hardware and software is long-term.
“It’s still a very small market, but I think there’s still a big potential market on the industry side, like manufacturing, factories, and even home use,” Yang said.
On the full pickle ball court on the show floor, some meeting attendees took a break, grabbed a racket and swinged with a ball thrown by a wheeled robot. They were asked to explain what was inside the Tennibot robot, and the manufacturer had tariffs in their minds.
“Injection molded parts, rivets, screws, nuts, wheels, motors and batteries,” said Haitham Eletravi, co-founder and CEO of Auburn, Alabama-based Tennibyot. “The supply chain is very complicated. We get parts from all over the world. Tariffs add a lot of uncertainty.”
It was not just the US-China trade rivalry that weighed some attendees. Francesca Torchero, an adaptive talent at the recruitment firm, said he has heard more vigilance from Canadian robotics and engineering candidates about working in the US in a tense political environment.
“In the past, Canadians have found it attractive to come and work in American businesses. Now they are very hesitant,” Trucielo said.
AP video journalist Rodrique Ngowi contributed to this report.
Original issue: May 1, 2025, 8:17pm EDT
