House panel warns of Chinese AI robotics threat

Artificial intelligence and robotics leaders warned U.S. lawmakers Tuesday that Chinese-developed robots combine data collection, network connectivity and real-world operation in ways that could enable intrusions far beyond traditional cyberattacks, opening the door to surveillance, operational disruption and even physical harm.

The warnings came during a House Homeland Security subcommittee hearing examining the national security risks posed by AI-enabled robotics platforms developed by companies tied to mainland China. Industry representatives told lawmakers that the scale of AI-enabled robotics deployments are accelerating across sectors including logistics, manufacturing, energy and public safety – placing potentially vulnerable systems in environments that are both operationally sensitive and economically critical.

Beijing has invested heavily in recent years in AI robotics development while rolling out a coordinated industrial strategy that blends national planning, subsidies and military-civil collaboration to accelerate both domestic deployment and global market share.

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