Technology Leaders Trust Robots, But Less In Tasks Requiring More Human Interaction
Executives expect 20% of their workforce to be automated through robotics within the next decade.
There is a growing positive attitude among technology decision-makers towards the adoption of, and trust in, robotics in the workplace. In a survey of 1,000 executives across healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and heavy machinery industries, 71% are currently using robotics in their organisation or have plans to do so in the future.
On average, executives expect 20% of their workforce to be automated through robotics within the next decade. The research was released by QNX, a division of BlackBerry Ltd.
Rise Of Robots And Trust Trends
Nearly four in five (77%) executives trust robotics to perform essential functions, with advancements in safety and risk mitigation (42%) and reliability and performance (40%) being the two biggest factors that influence this trust. Across industries, organisations are embracing robots, with the most common use cases being automation (50%), production (46%), support (36%), and high-risk tasks (28%).
Comfort Challenges
Despite 70% of executives expressing comfort working alongside a robot, comfort levels decrease when comparing types of tasks. While most are content with robotics taking the lead on menial duties like assembly line work (77%), material handling (73%), and logistics and delivery (70%), trust is less for robotics handling tasks that require human interaction, such as medical procedures (51%), customer service (55%), and maintenance and repairs (63%).
Safeguarding Workers And Workplaces
The research also revealed areas of caution, with 32% of respondents believing their workplace is not yet prepared to handle the introduction of robotics, creating a potential blind spot for employers when it comes to utilising their capabilities and keeping workers safe. Also, 58% expressed concerns about the security risks, while 29% said that someone in their organisation has experienced a robotics-related safety risk or dangerous situation.
Other Findings
Other key findings include:
Advancements in technology (90%) and improved safety (86%) were called out as the two biggest factors influencing the decision to deploy robotics.
Around 92% of respondents feel employees need to be involved in the discussion around robotics integration.
Almost two thirds (64%) of respondents think their current government AI and robotics policies and regulations are adequate at addressing the ethical implications within their industry.
