The USA is already a strong manufacturing country. It accounts for 20% of global output, and output has more than doubled since 1975.
In the same period, worker numbers have decreased by 31%, implying that US manufacturing is already beginning to replace workers with robots.
It's also worth pointing out that China has only exceeded the USA in output this year, and then only by a few percent. Given that China relies heavily on cheap manual labor, whilst USA employment in the manufacturing industry has plummeted, the USA is already betting heavily on robots.
You have references but they don't back up that implication robots are being used in US factories.
There are a lot of things that have changed in US factories in the last 35 years but I don't think widespread use of robots is one of them. But I can't find references :-(
For the purpose of this discussion, any machine that automates or assists in a task is a robot. Electric screwdrivers and conveyor belts are robots, albeit unsophisticated ones.
In the same period, worker numbers have decreased by 31%, implying that US manufacturing is already beginning to replace workers with robots.
It's also worth pointing out that China has only exceeded the USA in output this year, and then only by a few percent. Given that China relies heavily on cheap manual labor, whilst USA employment in the manufacturing industry has plummeted, the USA is already betting heavily on robots.
Sources: http://mercatus.org/publication/us-manufacturing-output-vs-j... http://articles.boston.com/2011-02-06/bostonglobe/29344173_1... http://www.manufacturingdigital.com/tags/us/china-vs-us-manu...