China blocks SoftBank's $5.3 billion purchase of ABB Robotics over data worries
Chinese regulators stopped SoftBank's $5.3 billion deal for ABB Robotics, fearing AI training data could leave the country, The Robot Report writes.
A Chinese foreign investment security panel has blocked SoftBank Group's planned takeover of ABB Robotics, the Zurich-based company confirmed to The Robot Report. Regulators were worried that data useful for training AI models could be sent abroad. ABB agreed in October 2025 to sell the unit to the Japanese group for $5.3 billion. Both sides say they are in close contact and working constructively on the deal.
The unit has installed more than 500,000 robots worldwide and employs about 7,000 people. Analysts quoted by the outlet see the logic of the sale: AI-driven robotics needs heavy, long-term spending, and SoftBank could supply it. A Financial Times reporter said the concern also touched OpenAI, in which SoftBank is a major investor.
The block comes as other governments tighten their grip on robotics. The U.S. recently banned new models of some connected devices, such as legged robots and AMRs, and the Commerce Department found that robotics imports threaten national security, which could lead to tariffs.
Why it matters
China is a key market for ABB Robotics, so carving out its Chinese business from the sale would be very hard, according to Interact Analysis. Robot data and local factories now weigh in cross-border deals. Watch for any changed deal terms or a talks breakdown. Neither company has said what a compromise might look like.
