Robotics' Influence on Individuals and the Society

"I Will Be Back": The Era of Robotics
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Robotics' Influence on Society
"I will be back!" is a famous catchphrase associated with the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1985 hit movie, The Terminator. The Terminator is a science fiction action movie directed by James Cameron. In the film, Schwarzenegger plays the role of the Terminator; a cyborg assassin sent in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill a woman called Sarah Conor. Conor should die because her unborn son will, in the future, save humanity from extinction by a hostile artificial intelligence called Skynet. In the first scene of this film, there is an ongoing total war in which robots (terminators) dominate the battlefield with sophisticated and futuristic weapons and abilities, trouncing the sorry human soldiers. Today, just seven years shy of 2029, where, according to The Terminator, warfare is handled by robots and not humans. It appears as though robotics is not only making headways in the military. However, it is also affecting or expected to influence every other sphere of life as the 4th Industrial Revolution matures. As emerging digital technology, robotics impact relationships, the workplace, social institutions, and entertainment because of the changes it causes in these areas. Therefore, it significantly influences society, yet it is not a disruptive innovation.
Therefore, the current paper pursues the changes taking place s a result of this technology within the scope of the four areas of life. The project has four core sections, focusing on uses & trends, the disruptive impact of technology, and the future impact of the technology. Ultimately, discussions will show that while robotics is transformational, it is not a disruptive entity compared to other emerging digital technologies. As part of the discussion, the paper will also reveal the relevance of Schwarzenegger's words regarding the role of 'Terminators' in modern warfare.
New Forms of Relationships
Uses and Trends
Another film that predicts the influence of robotics is Finch, produced in 2021 and directed by Miguel Sapochnik. In the film, Finch (Tom Hanks) is a survivor in post-apocalyptic America where human contact is rare and an abnormality. Finch is accompanied by his dog Goodyear and a helper robot (Dewey). As Finch's health deteriorates due to an unknown ailment, he develops an advanced humanoid robot companion that would take care of the dog once he is gone. He feeds the robot with volumes of encyclopedic knowledge, including manuals for caring for and training dogs. The film highlights when the humanoid finally learns to play fetch with the dog. By the time Finch dies, the humanoid is capable of many things, including emotional attachment.
The story of Dewey is relevant for this section because it speaks on the ability of robots to form emotional bonds not only with humans but also with animals. While Finch is a futuristic film, the relevance of robots in relationships with humans is increasingly apparent in the 21st century. Today, Siri, Alexa, and Cortana are increasingly part of households providing voice interaction with humans as a means of automation within the household. With the increasing number of single-households in urban spaces and opportunities to work from home, more people talk to this robotics. We command these virtual assistants to do simple tasks like skipping songs on a playlist or making a phone call while in the bathroom. Further, the robotics industry is developing home robotics, autonomous robots used for household chores so that people can have more time on their hands. These robotics have the capabilities to play a role in education, entertainment, and even therapy within the household. The aspect of therapy is critical because it reduces the burden on the health system.
Prediction
The health sector is also pushing for more robotics to assist in caring for patients. The push comes on the back of the increasing complexity of public health systems, changes in public needs, and the surging demand for nurses against low demand. In healthcare, robotics play various roles, including clinical procedures, accomplishing repetitive tasks, and operations that would otherwise expose health workers to harm. However, what is essential for the current section is the role of robotics in mental health. In a recent survey, Oracle (2020) found that across 12,000 employees around the world, only 18% prefer to talk to humans about their mental health issues because they expect unbiased information. In other words, 82% would rather talk to a robot. This was even more apparent during the pandemic when the role of chatbots in mental health treatment expanded rapidly (Abd-Alrazaq, Rababeh, Alajlani, Bewick, & Househ, 2020). Therefore, the increasing interaction with robots is bound to influence relationships within households.
Extent of Disruption
The rapid advancement in technology implies that a product like Dewey is no longer a distant dream for humanity. Nevertheless, this is where robotics is headed; by increasingly playing roles within households and workspaces, mental health therapy, and entertainment, robotics will curve their space into human interactions. They will act as either mediators or distractions when there is tension within households or as a companion for the youth population that is progressively isolated in urban spaces. As Rainie and Wellman (2012, p. 118) argued, digital technologies are increasingly isolating people from in-person contact, a void that could be filled effectively by robotics. In these areas, however, robotics is not a disruptive technology because its influence is not sudden, and it does not replace any previous technology in its role.
Changes in Workplaces
Trends and Uses
One of the biggest problems of modern times for organizations is the need for cheap labor. Workers are pushing to unionize to better their working conditions and benefits against profit-oriented executives and investors. Robotics emerged as a critical alternative, especially where labor-intensive and risky operations are required. Thus, as organizations fight against the unionization of employees, robotics are emerging as ideal alternatives for these roles. Organizations like Amazon deploy Automated guided Vehicles (AGVs) to transport inventory, supplies, and material within warehouse facilities. Other robotics products like Collaborative Robots (Cobots) assist human workers in performing diverse tasks within the warehouse environment. These capabilities are beneficial to both employees and employers. For instance, robotics in warehouses reduce physical and mental strain on employees and prevent emerging issues like burnout while minimizing liabilities associated with workplace injuries. Employers, on the other hand, deploy robots because they are a cheaper labor alternative than humans. Recent research (Jung & Lim, 2020) confirmed the labor-substitution effect of industrial robots; low-skilled workers are disproportionately affected.
Aside from solving the labor problem, the increasing prevalence of robotics in workplaces is accelerated by the demand for efficiency in delivering services and products. Organizations running e-commerce platforms rely on efficiency as part of their competitive edges to meet consumer demands. Therefore, robotics is necessary because, unlike humans, they do not experience fatigue and provide consistency in accuracy and are not impacted by emotions or mood. Therefore, the global pursuit for efficiency might be pushing humans out of workplaces for more sophisticated and automated alternatives. These alternatives require minimum supervision, are monitored, and controlled remotely, and save organization funds that would otherwise go to labor costs like healthcare insurance and retirement benefit for employees.
Prediction and Extent of Disruption
Similar to the case in developing new forms of relationships for humans, robotics is not a disruptive technology in industrial applications. Instead, it resulted from incremental developments; based on cross-disciplinary efforts. Their influence on workplaces is gradual and, therefore, will not come as a shock for a majority worldwide (Christensen, 2014). However, products like Dewey are an indication of the outlook of robotics. Scholars like Lu, Li, and Zhou (2021) speculate that social isolation, loneliness, and dependence on mobile phones increase human-machine interaction, which paves the way for human interaction with robotics.
Role of Robotics in Warfare
Trend and Use
When American forces invaded Iraq in May 2003, robotic systems were on the ground. By the end of 2004, there were more than 150 robots on the ground; and by the end of 2005, Americans had deployed 2,400. By the end of 2008, more than 12,000 robots of a dozen varieties were operating on the ground (Singer, 2009). Today, 15 years later, the military interest in robotics is even more advanced. Robots are adored in the military because they perform various combat roles that would otherwise endanger soldiers' lives. These include fire support, explosive disbarment, logistics support, lethal combat duties, and reconnaissance activities. Acting as alternative human soldiers, the robots can pick out snipers and target enemies with greater efficiency. Since they are machines, they are not influenced by fear, emotions, fatigue, or moral questions. The gladiator, for instance, is a tactical unmanned ground vehicle designed to support the Marine Corps conduct of Ship Tl Objective Maneuver (STOM). The robots perform scouting, surveillance, direct fire, NBC reconnaissance, and personnel obstacle when soldiers are in the line of fire.
Several core factors are expanding the role of robotics in the military. Firstly, America's experience in Iraq and Afghanistan pushed for more protection of soldiers' lives, making robotics an ideal alternative (Shaw, 2017). Secondly, robotics has made war cheaper to engage in where robotics is autonomous and controlled remo...