FANUC CEO joins national robotics commission
The CEO of FANUC America joined the National Security Commission on Robotics for Advanced Manufacturing, highlighting the sector’s growing alignment with national security and industrial policy. The appointment underscores ties between industrial automation leaders and defense/production strategy. (x.com)
Michael J. Cicco is President & CEO of FANUC America and serves on FANUC Corporation’s board, overseeing the company’s North and South American operations. (fanucamerica.com) (fanuc.co.jp) The Special Competitive Studies Project announced the commission on March 17, 2026, and named Ylli Bajraktari, Sen. Ted Budd (R‑NC) and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D‑MI) as co‑chairs. (scsp.ai) SCSP set four explicit pillars for the commission: Creating a National Framework; Securing the Talent Pipeline; Setting Strategic Targets; and Empowering the Ecosystem. (scsp.ai) SCSP framed the effort as a year‑long, cross‑sector project with a final report expected in March 2027. (theaiinsider.tech) Ohio State’s announcement confirms the panel will include 14 experts from industry, academia and government. (engineering.osu.edu) Public reporting and the commission materials list other named commissioners alongside Cicco, including Dean Ayanna Howard (The Ohio State University), Rev Lebaredian (NVIDIA), Heather Carroll (Path Robotics) and Peter Barrett (Playground Global). (third-news.com) (engineering.osu.edu) Rev Lebaredian is NVIDIA’s vice president for Omniverse and simulation technology, a role that ties into the commission’s emphasis on simulation and physical‑AI for manufacturing. (blogs.nvidia.com) The commission held an initial convening on Capitol Hill the week of March 17–20, 2026 per partner briefings. (youtube.com)
