PR Return’s Offbeat Sheet examines some of the world’s most interesting technology, marketing and innovation stories. Often pushed quickly through the news cycle, we think they deserve more time in the spotlight.
What’s your pick: robots with or without faces? A recent article from New York Times explored this emerging question.
As AI tech continues to develop, retailers like Walmart are adding robots to their workforce, and some believe a pair of googly eyes can humanize an unfamiliar piece of technology. For one store, naming a googly-eyed robot Marty led to the bot developing its own reputation. The store even threw a party for Marty’s first “birthday,” complete with kids, crayons and balloons.
Despite a fair helping of fun and games, deeper questions linger: what are the pros and cons of humanizing robots? One robot from the article was designed without a face “because its developers did not want customers to think they could interact with the device.” But still, many of the robots have been given names and nametags.
None could say it better than University of Central Florida professor Peter Hancock: “It’s like Mary Poppins. A spoonful of sugar makes the robots go down.”
Many companies are introducing robots to supplement the workforce, since robots can work for 24/7/365, but that of course means robots will replace people in at least some jobs. Thankfully, many companies are introducing robots slowly; so people aren’t displaced all at once. This enables training so that many employees can adapt to changing roles at their current company or become equipped for work elsewhere.
What are your thoughts on automation, and does the presence of a face change your perception of our robot counterparts? Let us know.