Robo-Coworkers

Robots are already being integrated into communities, including public spaces. Thousands of delivery robots are in operation across cities globally, and services are expanding as companies partner with existing delivery services such as Uber. Autonomous robots are also being piloted to pick up trash and food waste, and prototypes are being considered for robotic crossing guards. Other services that robots could perform include street cleaning and public safety functions. Challenges include non-robot-friendly street and sidewalk environments, though the presence of robots could encourage the design of more accessible public spaces. In South Korea, Seoul has recently developed plans for a robot-friendly city, proactively envisioning the wide-ranging integration of robots into everyday life.

Some robots are finding a place in private spaces. In nations grappling with the challenge of low birth rates, especially in Europe and Asia, the burden of care and the fulfillment of critical functions within cities may increasingly fall upon robots and other autonomous technologies. In the U.S., a shortage of care workers and the loneliness epidemic have left many feeling isolated and without the resources to take care of themselves. Social robots, which aim to stimulate cognition and offer companionship, have become more common in assisted-living facilities; officials have distributed them to elderly people in at least four states. But surveys have found that older adults aren’t always comfortable with artificial companions, and concerns include data privacy and the potential of these robots to perpetuate the isolation they are trying to remedy. How widespread social robots ultimately become may have broader implications for people’s relationships to robots and how they are accommodated in public and private spaces.

Robots are also seeing increased usage in the construction sector, where worker shortages have prompted some developers to use robots for more menial tasks. Relatedly, labor shortages have prompted energy companies to use robots in solar panel installation. Industry-wide interest in robots appears to be increasing, and their presence seems poised to expand. Planners must consider the policy implications of the potential presence of robots in our daily lives, including privacy, equity, safety, and sustainability issues, and be prepared to effectively integrate them into their communities.