ITIF-行动起来_加强美国机器人产业的政策（英）-2025.7_27页_609kb

Summary of A Time to Act: Policies to Strengthen the US Robotics Industry

Core Content

This report outlines the urgent need for the United States to adopt a comprehensive national robotics strategy to strengthen its innovation and production capabilities in the robotics industry. It highlights the growing importance of robotics as a "general purpose technology" that can significantly enhance productivity and living standards across multiple sectors. The report also emphasizes the strategic risks of not doing so, particularly in light of China's aggressive efforts to dominate the global robotics market.

Main Viewpoints

• Robotics as a Key Technology: Robotics is poised to be a transformative technology for the next half-century, with the potential to revolutionize industries ranging from manufacturing to healthcare and agriculture.
• U.S. Lagging Behind: The U.S. has low robot adoption and production rates compared to countries like South Korea, Japan, and China, despite being a global leader in research and innovation.
• China's Dominance: China is rapidly advancing in robotics through substantial investments in R&D, subsidies, and strategic national programs, such as the "Made in China 2025" initiative.
• Need for Policy Action: While ideal policies would involve significant financial incentives, the report argues that there are still affordable and effective steps Congress and the administration can take to boost U.S. robotics adoption and production.
• Cultural and Policy Barriers: U.S. cultural attitudes and policy frameworks have historically hindered robotics adoption, with less supportive tax policies and a lack of incentives for innovation and manufacturing.

Key Information

U.S. Robotics Adoption

• The U.S. ranked 9th in industrial robot adoption in 2022, with 285 robots per 10,000 manufacturing workers.
• Only 8.3% of U.S. manufacturing firms use robots, compared to 12.1% in advanced manufacturing sectors.
• The U.S. has low adoption rates even when controlling for wage levels, with only 70% of expected robot adoption.
• East Asian countries (China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore) lead in robot adoption, with China adopting 12.5 times more robots than expected.

U.S. Robotics Production

• The U.S. is not a leading producer of industrial robots, with 5.4% of global exports.
• Japan leads in both production and export intensity, with 46% of global output and 36% of exports.
• The U.S. lacks domestic foundries for large-scale robot production, resulting in a $1.26 billion trade deficit in robotics in 2022.
• Productive Robotics and Ingersoll Machine Tools are notable exceptions, showcasing U.S. capability in the sector.

International Robotics Strategies

• Japan has implemented multiple national robotics strategies, including the "New Robot Strategy" (2016–2020) and the "Moonshot" program (2020–2050), aiming for 419 robots per 10,000 workers in 2024.
• South Korea is investing $2.2 billion in robotics through 2028, with a goal to deploy 1 million robots globally by 2030.
• China is the most aggressive in robotics, with a $138 billion venture capital fund for robotics and AI by 2045, and $1.4 billion in Beijing and $630 million in Shenzhen dedicated to the industry.
• Europe (EU) has allocated $100 billion through 2027 to support robotics, focusing on human-complementary applications, but still has a low robot density of 219 per 10,000 workers.
• India, Singapore, and Australia have focused on specific industries with comparative advantages, such as healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Policy Recommendations

• Better Data and Analytics: Improve data collection to better understand and track robot adoption and usage.
• Support for Scientific and Engineering Research: Increase funding for robotics research and development, particularly in public-private partnerships.
• Industry Support: Encourage domestic production through incentives and infrastructure development.
• Adoption Incentives: Implement tax credits, subsidies, and grants to make robotics adoption more attractive for firms.
• Workforce Training: Invest in training programs to build a skilled workforce for the robotics industry.
• Regulatory Reform: Address regulatory barriers that hinder the development and deployment of robotics.
• International Considerations: Develop a coordinated approach to compete with global powers like China and ensure national security in robotics.

Conclusion

The United States must take proactive steps to strengthen its robotics industry, both in innovation and production. While the U.S. has a strong research base, it lags in adoption and manufacturing, and is increasingly being outpaced by countries like China. A national strategy that includes financial incentives, research support, and workforce development is essential to reinvigorate the U.S. robotics sector and ensure its continued leadership in this critical technology.