Intel Seeks FCC Waiver on Foreign Robot Ban to Protect U.S. Chip Output

Intel filed a request with the Federal Communications Commission on Friday seeking a conditional exemption from a recent ban on foreign-made advanced robots, to ensure maintenance and upgrades of critical equipment at its U.S. chip plants. The filing was made public on Monday. Intel said automated guided vehicles (AGVs), widely used in its semiconductor factories to transport materials, would be restricted by the ban, which took effect in July and tightly limits software and hardware updates to such equipment. The company argued continued operation of the robots is "critical" to U.S. national security, saying there is no validated domestic alternative for the niche systems and that replacing existing equipment would take years. Any operational disruption would "immediately and negatively impact Intel's U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity," the filing said. Key suppliers of the specialized equipment include Japan's Murata Machinery and Daifuku, with South Korean and Taiwanese rivals attempting to enter the market but unlikely to fill the gap near term.