China’s 1.75 million industrial robots account for 51% of global demand, sparking US automation investment to counter cost and quality threats.
US manufacturers are accelerating plans to build fully automated “dark factories” after executives warned China’s robotic capacity threatens domestic production. Ford CEO Jim Farley said China’s existing factories could serve North America’s entire auto market, eliminating US competitors.
China operated 1.75 million industrial robots in 2023, representing 51% of global demand. Analysts project the first US dark factory—requiring no human labor—will emerge by 2030, with Rockwell Automation and NVIDIA already securing orders.
The push follows reports of China’s superior cost and quality in automated production, prompting firms like Fortescue to abandon in-house manufacturing plans.