Research funded by the U.S. military helped advance technologies later used in China’s growing robot-dog industry. The research dates back years, but the technology contributed to breakthroughs in modern quadruped robotics.

China’s Unitree Robotics has combined these advances with low-cost manufacturing to produce relatively inexpensive robot dogs, including the Go2, which launched in 2023 at around $1,600, Reuters reports. Unitree’s rapid growth highlights concerns that U.S.-funded research can ultimately contribute to technologies developed and manufactured in China.

The episode underscores the growing U.S.-China competition in robotics, where China’s ability to combine advanced research with large-scale manufacturing could provide an advantage in technologies with both civilian and potential military applications.