Should We Worry About Robots Taking Over?

It’s time for dinner. Your mom uses an app on her smartphone to order a pizza. Soon after she places the order, you hear a voice saying, “Hello. Here’s your delivery.” But there’s no delivery person at your doorstep. Instead, you find a delivery robot!

In the past two years, a company called Starship has used robots to make nearly a million food and grocery deliveries in 12 states. The wheeled bots use computers with artificial intelligence (AI). That’s the ability of a machine to think and learn like a human.

Delivery robots are just one example of AI-equipped machines taking over jobs that were once done only by humans. About 200,000 robots pack products in Amazon warehouses. Thousands of bots now assist doctors in operating rooms around the world. Robots also clean floors in stores, pick fruit on farms, and more. 

As AI becomes more advanced, many people are concerned that more jobs will become automated, leaving fewer opportunities for human workers.

It’s time for dinner. Your mom uses an app on her smartphone to order a pizza. Soon after ordering, you hear a voice. It says, “Hello. Here’s your delivery.” But there’s no delivery person at your doorstep. Instead, you find a delivery robot!

In the past two years, a company called Starship has used robots to make deliveries. Starship’s robots have made nearly a million food and grocery deliveries in 12 states. The wheeled bots use computers with artificial intelligence (AI). That’s the ability of a machine to think and learn like a human.

Delivery robots are just one example of AI-equipped machines taking over jobs that were once done only by humans. About 200,000 robots pack products in Amazon warehouses. Thousands of bots now assist doctors in operating rooms around the world. Robots also clean floors in stores, pick fruit on farms, and more. 

As AI becomes more advanced, many people are concerned that more jobs will become automated. This may leave fewer opportunities for human workers.

Robots have been a part of the workforce since the 1960s, when they were first used on assembly lines to help build cars. They’ve slowly been taking on more jobs ever since. Today, more than 3 million industrial robots are used worldwide, and experts expect them to replace humans in even more jobs in the future. Why? Robots can just do some things better, especially jobs that can be repetitive or dangerous.

“Robots can often complete tasks more quickly than humans can—without getting tired,” explains Michael Chui, a researcher who studies how robots affect businesses. 

It’s not only industrial jobs that are at risk. There are now robotic chefs, security guards, deep-sea explorers, and more. Today’s advanced technology also allows machines to be creative. Last year, a newspaper called The Guardian published an article written entirely by AI. So should we be ready for robots to replace human workers?

“It’s something we should be thinking about,” Chui says. “People need to continuously learn new skills in order to keep up.”

Robots have been a part of the workforce since the 1960s. They were first used on assembly lines to help build cars. They’ve slowly been taking on more jobs ever since. Today, more than 3 million industrial robots are used worldwide, and experts expect them to replace humans in even more jobs in the future. Why? Robots can just do some things better. They are especially skilled at jobs that can be repetitive or dangerous.

“Robots can often complete tasks more quickly than humans can. They do this without getting tired,” explains Michael Chui, a researcher who studies how robots affect businesses. 

It’s not only industrial jobs that are at risk. There are now robotic chefs, security guards, deep-sea explorers, and more. Today’s advanced technology also allows machines to be creative. Last year, a newspaper called The Guardian published an article written entirely by AI. So should we be ready for robots to replace human workers?

“It’s something we should be thinking about,” Chui says. “People need to continuously learn new skills in order to keep up.”

Other experts argue that even the most advanced bots are no match for humans. Jobs require humans to take on many different, sometimes unexpected, tasks. But most robots are programmed to do just one. 

Take Marty, for example. Hundreds of this type of robot patrol the aisles at Stop & Shop supermarkets. Marty beeps when it spots a spill. But a human worker needs to come and actually clean up the mess. 

“Machines can do some of the things that people can do, but they can’t do everything,” says Pierre Dupont, a scientist who designs medical robots. “So is a robot going to put a doctor out of a job? The answer is no.”

Plus, robots are far behind humans in making emotional connections. For example, they can’t comfort a patient like a nurse does or help a student as a teacher can. 

Researchers point out that robots are here to help us, not eliminate us.

“Robotics is actually going to create more jobs,” Dupont says. “After all, someone will need to design and program robots.”

Other experts argue that even the most advanced bots are no match for humans. Jobs require humans to take on many different, sometimes unexpected, tasks. But most robots are programmed to do just one. 

Take Marty, for example. Hundreds of this type of robot patrol the aisles at Stop & Shop supermarkets. Marty beeps when it spots a spill. But a human worker needs to actually clean up the mess. 

“Machines can do some of the things that people can do. But they can’t do everything,” says Pierre Dupont, a scientist who designs medical robots. “So is a robot going to put a doctor out of a job? The answer is no.”

Plus, robots are far behind humans in making emotional connections. For example, they can’t comfort a patient like a nurse does or help a student as a teacher can. 

Researchers point out that robots are here to help us. They’re not here to eliminate us.

“Robotics is actually going to create more jobs,” Dupont says. “After all, someone will need to design and program robots.”