FANUC America Invests $90 Million in US Robot Manufacturing Expansion

• The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) updated its Covered List on March 24, 2026, to include all consumer-grade routers produced outside the US due to national security risks. • China controls at least 60% of the US home router market; the ban prohibits new FCC equipment authorizations for these devices, though existing models remain unaffected. • Malicious actors exploited vulnerabilities in foreign routers for cyberattacks like Volt, Flax, and Salt Typhoon targeting US infrastructure, enabling espionage and IP theft.

• The National Science Foundation awarded $45 million over three years to the NSF Energy Storage Engine, led by Binghamton University, entering its second phase on March 24, 2026. • The Upstate New York initiative, partnering with Cornell, RIT, Syracuse, and others, aims to make the region America's battery tech capital. • Phase one funded over 15 battery startups, securing $20 million in follow-on funding and national awards like Battery Manufacturer of the Year.

• NASA's X-59 Quesst low-boom supersonic demonstrator had its second flight on March 20, 2026, cut short after just 9 minutes due to a cockpit warning light. • The aircraft returned to base immediately, marking another delay for the already behind-schedule program. • NASA plans a speedy return to flight testing to advance quiet supersonic technology over land.

• The Trump administration published a national AI policy framework on March 20, 2026, calling for unified federal principles over state-level regulations. • The plan seeks to remove innovation barriers, assign oversight to existing agencies, and streamline AI infrastructure permitting. • Proposal faces Democratic criticism for potentially weakening consumer protections and state oversight.

• Sony's PlayStation Network experienced a brief outage on March 23, 2026, disrupting online services for PS5 and PS4 users across the U.S. • The downtime affected multiplayer gaming, account access, and store functions for several hours. • Service restoration completed by evening, with Sony attributing issue to network overload.

• The Pentagon transitioned from pilot projects to long-term enterprise contracts with venture-backed defense tech firms, exemplified by deals with Anduril and Palantir totaling billions. • Anduril's contract covers AI-powered drones, autonomous systems, and counter-UAS hardware tied to live missions, setting new benchmarks for manufacturing and delivery. • Steven Simoni of Allen Control Systems called it a 'meaningful signal' that startups must prove operational reliability over prototypes.

• The Treasury Department's FSOC and AITO launched the AI Innovation Series, a public-private initiative with four roundtables convening financial institutions, tech firms, and regulators on high-value AI use cases. • Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated, 'Leadership in AI adoption is a crucial component of economic security,' shifting regulation from constraint to enabling productivity-enhancing tech. • Deputy Assistant Secretary Christina Skinner emphasized AI's role in fraud detection, credit allocation, and operational resilience for financial stability.

• Bitcoin reached $70,599.53 at 9:15 a.m. ET on March 23, 2026, up $1,801.64 from yesterday but down $15,460 year-over-year. • The increase reflects broader crypto market dynamics amid volatility, outperforming stocks long-term despite risks. • Recent coverage highlights Kalshi's $22 billion valuation edging Polymarket and discussions on crypto's White House access via memecoins.

• Elon Musk launched Terafab, a $20 billion-plus semiconductor fab in Austin, Texas, jointly developed by Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI to produce custom chips for EVs, Optimus robots, and AI computing. • The facility targets terawatt-scale power output, addressing global chip shortages constraining Musk's AI and robotics timelines amid TSMC capacity limits. • This vertical integration bolsters U.S. domestic manufacturing self-sufficiency amid geopolitical tensions and accelerates competition in AI hardware where compute is the key bottleneck.

• Forrester Research forecasts global technology spending will grow 7.8% in 2026 to $5.6 trillion, up from $5.2 trillion in 2025, driven primarily by continued AI investment across defense, financial services, healthcare, industry, and retail sectors. • Computer equipment will see the highest growth at 16.8% due to rising AI server demand, with AI-specialized computers expected to capture more than 80% of computer equipment spending by 2030, up from 43% in 2024. • Financial services and healthcare sectors will see robust technology spending in 2026, driven by investments in cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, AI, data storage, and AI literacy training despite broader economic volatility.

• The startup and venture investment market remains robust with AI mega-rounds emerging almost weekly, though investors are increasingly selective and focused on companies with technological advantage and commercial discipline. • Capital is concentrating in AI infrastructure, chips, inference computing platforms, defense tech, European fintech, and healthtech with clear unit economics, while weak placement windows are closing for lower-quality stories. • The IPO and exit market remains open but uneven, with certain companies still preparing for the public market while others postpone placements due to volatility and stricter risk assessments from investors.