China blocks SoftBank's $5.3 billion ABB Robotics deal

The deal itself was struck in October 2025, when ABB said it had agreed to sell its robotics division to SoftBank Group Corp. for $5.3 billion. The block now puts that agreement under strain, and ABB Robotics' statement that the two sides remain in close dialogue suggests talks are continuing rather than concluded.

The review body's concern centered on data used to train AI models. Financial Times reporter Zijing Wu linked the scrutiny to SoftBank's stake in OpenAI, saying sources described NDRC worry that robotics data could train models including OpenAI's. Analyst Ash Sharma of Interact Analysis framed the broader shift: industrial robotics is increasingly seen as strategically important technology at the intersection of automation, data, and AI, and separating ABB's Chinese operation from a transaction of this scale would be extremely challenging.

China is not alone in tightening its stance. The U.S. FCC recently banned new models of certain connected advanced devices, including legged robots and autonomous mobile robots, and the Department of Commerce last week determined that robotics and industrial machinery imports pose a threat to the U.S. economy and national security—a step that could lead to tariffs. Robert Little, a former robotics strategy chief at Novanta, said over the years ABB's strength in China has grown, and that heavily subsidized Chinese robot makers are becoming stronger competitors at home and expanding into Europe, adding pricing pressure. He concluded that negotiations may still find a way forward, but for now ABB is in a pickle.