Robots in The Modern World

“A robot is a type of machine that can execute specific tasks with little or no human intervention and with speed and precision.”

Robots have the potential to automate simple yet routine tasks humans must perform almost every day. They have helped reduce human workload and make our jobs easier for decades. The prospect of having robots help us in our personal and work lives doesn’t come without controversy. While sensational to some, it is disturbing to others. But wouldn't this free up more time for us to devote to other, more meaningful things?

As part of Tesla's annual AI Day (Artificial Intelligence Day) celebration on September 30th, the Elon Musk-led company unveiled its much-anticipated Optimus robot 2.0 – designed to perform repetitive tasks. According to Musk, this project aims to bring robots to the general public. The effort, while still early, is a vital step forward in the robotics industry, given the potential of the robots. By 2023, Musk hopes to sell these robots at about $20,000 apiece.

With the introduction of robots in our everyday life, efficiency is inevitable. Additionally, worker robots may boost profitability by increasing the productivity of businesses. Their lack of demand for salaries, food, holidays, and regular breaks, makes their absence almost questionable. Further, by simply reducing human involvement, injuries in the workspace will also decrease.

However, robotic involvement comes with drawbacks – the initial investment may be too expensive for businesses to afford ever, if at all. Secondly, robots can only be programmed to do certain tasks, which decreases their flexibility. Moreover, critics note that different programs and technology used to develop the robots may limit their ability to communicate with each other, which may cause conflicts and disrupt workflow.

Considering several factors, it is also important to note that robots cannot think and do not have their own mind. So, if any unforeseen disturbance gets in their way, they will shut down and wait for further orders – therefore, human involvement will always be required at some scale. Humanoid robots in the near future seem sure and even inescapable. With robotic technology constantly improving and evolving, it isn't long until we see major changes all around.