American billionaire and Shark Tank judge Mark Cuban believes bringing manufacturing back to the United States is “really simple”: outcompete China in robotics and artificial intelligence. The Shark Tank investor argued that advances in automation could make domestic production economically viable, reducing America’s reliance on Asian manufacturing hubs. Cuban made the remarks in a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday while responding to comments from Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey, who had pushed back against claims that manufacturing products in the United States is prohibitively expensive.
Mark Cuban: ‘Our robots and AI versus their robots and AI’
Cuban framed the future of manufacturing as a technological race between the United States and China. “It’s really simple. Our Robots and AI vs their Robots and AI,” Cuban wrote. “If we can catch up on robotics/software, and can stay ahead on AI, there is zero reason manufacturing won’t come back, or initiate here.”According to Cuban, automation and software advances could help offset labour-cost advantages that have traditionally driven companies to manufacture products in China and other parts of Asia.
Cost plus drugs example
The billionaire pointed to his pharmaceutical venture, Cost Plus Drugs, as an example of how domestic production could become competitive. Cuban said the company could manufacture generic medicines in Dallas at lower costs than importing them from Asia if not for various fees associated with bringing production online.“At Cost Plus Drugs, the only thing holding us back from making generic drugs cheaper in Dallas than we can buy from Asia, are the fees we have to pay,” he wrote.
Palmer Luckey: High-cost claims are ‘psychological operations’
Luckey had said that stories about iPhones costing $37,000 or laptops costing $100,000 if made in the US are psychological operations. They are “sometimes pushed by foreign adversaries but more commonly by American corporations that want anything but an upset to the status quo,” he said.He added that companies that treat US manufacturing as impossible want to justify staying in China and avoid admitting “it is a choice.” Luckey also said a 30% tariff can bring production home only if making the product in the US costs less than 30% more.
AI competition with China intensifies
The discussion arrives amid growing competition between the US and China in artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing technologies. Recent industry data cited by Reuters showed Nvidia held a 34% share of China’s AI accelerator market during the first half of 2026, while Huawei’s share rose to 28% as the Chinese technology giant gained ground in the sector.Chinese semiconductor companies have also continued expanding their capabilities in memory chips and AI infrastructure, increasing pressure on Western rivals. The strategic importance of AI was also highlighted by US President Donald Trump, who recently rejected the idea of a US-China AI joint venture, arguing that such cooperation could risk sharing sensitive technology with Beijing. “Whoever wins super intelligence wins,” Trump said.