Boston Dynamics Joins U.S. Private 'Think Tank' to Shape Robotics Strategy

Advisory Body to Strengthen U.S. Competitiveness in AI and Robotics
Participation in the Special Competitive Studies Project

Commission Member to Secure Leadership in the Robotics Industry
Leading Physical AI-Based Robotics Company

Boston Dynamics, the robotics subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, will participate as a key player in a private U.S. 'think tank' that sets strategy and direction for the country's robotics sector.

The Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a U.S. private think tank, announced on March 24 that it had recently launched the "National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing" and plans to outline a roadmap for the United States to secure leadership in the robotics industry.

Hyundai Motor Group's robotics affiliate Boston Dynamics' humanoid robot 'Atlas'. Hyundai Motor Group

SCSP, established in 2021, is a bipartisan, non-profit private organization led by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. It studies the impact of advanced technologies like AI, robotics, and semiconductors on national security, the economy, and society, and provides recommendations to enhance the United States' long-term competitiveness.

The newly launched National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing will be co-chaired by SCSP CEO Ylli Bajraktari, Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina (Republican), and Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan (Democrat).

As senators with significant influence from both parties are participating in the commission, the industry expects it will serve as a practical policy-design body to establish the next-generation U.S. robotics strategy, rather than just an advisory group.

Notably, the commission includes a wide range of stakeholders from industry, academia, and institutions engaged in robotics and physical AI research. The commission consists of Boston Dynamics, Nvidia, AMD, General Motors, the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, and the MIT Industrial Performance Center, among others. Boston Dynamics will participate as a leading U.S. physical AI-based robotics company, with Vice President Brendan Schulman serving as a commissioner.

The commission stated that its goal is to serve as a key architect of national strategies for the broader application of next-generation robotics technologies and to bridge the gap between laboratories and the field through cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Specifically, the commission will focus on: establishing a national framework to connect public and private investment and expand automation systems; training and securing top talent in robotics; setting strategic objectives to improve the robotics supply chain and strengthen global competitiveness; and reinforcing the ecosystem to secure U.S. market leadership in robotics.

Brandon Shulman, Vice President of Boston Dynamics.

The commission will operate for one year, and its recommendations are scheduled to be announced in March of next year.

Having established itself as a global leader in the robotics industry at CES earlier this year, Boston Dynamics plans to collaborate with experts from various fields on the commission to strengthen U.S. robotics technology competitiveness and manufacturing capabilities. The company is expected to share its accumulated robotics research cases and industry experience and highlight potential applications across manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, and other sectors.

In particular, by joining the commission, Boston Dynamics is now in a position to influence the formation of regulations and support policies for the U.S. robotics industry. The United States has demonstrated a strong government commitment to fostering its robotics sector.

Previously, on March 10 (local time), the U.S. Department of Commerce held a meeting attended by stakeholders from American industrial robotics and humanoid robotics companies. The meeting was convened to assess the current state of the U.S. robotics industry and explore government-level support measures.

Key figures from major companies, including Boston Dynamics, Nvidia, OpenAI, and Tesla, reportedly attended and exchanged a wide range of opinions.

Brendan Schulman, Vice President of Boston Dynamics, who attended the meeting, stated, "We expect that active government support for the robotics industry will lead to the establishment of policy direction in the near future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.