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5 Reasons Why Robots Can’t Replace Human Workforce

robots-vs-human-workforce

Robots are not new in the workplace. It was first seen in 1956 when an engineer named Joseph F. Engelberger and George C. Devol, an inventor and at the same time entrepreneur, introduced a robot called Unimate in the workplace. What this robot did was “extract die castings from machines and carried out spot welding” for vehicles made by General Motors. The creation of this robot has been a success and has paved the way for companies to incorporate machines into the workplace. [1]

robots-in-the-workplace

From simple extraction and spot welding, today, more and more robots with diverse purposes are seen in the workplace especially when the pandemic hit. It became more reasonable to use them as they can’t get sick. While this is true, nothing can completely replace humans at work and here’s why.

1. Robots don’t understand customer service

Though robots can interact with people, they can only do what they are programmed to do – like Fabio.

Fabio is UK’s first automated robot shopping assistant. What he does is assist shoppers to find their items. He also gives hugs and high-fives.

At first, people were amazed and loved him, but after a week, Fabio got fired from the only thing he knew how to do. [2]

Though Fabio was a good idea and seemed successful at first, it was reported that he creeped people out because of unnecessary comments such as “hello, gorgeous”. Not only that, but he also gives unnecessary high-fives and hugs.

While it’s true that Fabio is a promising project it has limitations – it doesn’t know the meaning of boundaries.

2. Robots don’t have an emotional brain

Humans are social beings and are capable of recognising emotions. Robots on the other hand can be programmed with emotions but aren’t perfect enough to say they can generate the kind of emotional intelligence that humans have. Although robots have been used in therapies as part of a study, it is said that they only “process logical instructions and miss out on the multi-dimensional emotion of human speech.”

Up until today, scientists are still on the quest of developing an emotionally intelligent AI. [3]

3. Robots can’t match human creativity

While it is possible for AIs to be amazingly creative because of their use of advanced machine learning where it can predict possibilities and show creative prowess based on mathematical computations, in the end, they are still machines that rely on concatenating results based on manipulating symbols which can achieve a very specific end goal. This does not indicate comprehension, as John Searle stated in Minds, Brains, and Programs.

We can also argue based on the above that robot can’t present creative solutions when faced with unexpected situations as they can only provide solutions based on what they are programmed to do. They don’t have the diversity of being a human.

4. Robots are incapable of building relationships

It may be confusing when we say Social Robots. Social Robots don’t mean that these machines are capable of building relationships.

Social robots can engage with humans in both collaborative and intimate situations, such as shopping malls, and completing domestic and healthcare jobs. Some social robots serve as assistants, in assisting with duties such as lifting, while others serve as companions and even simulate emotion. [4] Whereas human beings have their interests, thoughts, emotions and experiences, a robot is completely under the control of the human, emulates what it sees and does what is specific to its job.

5. Employing robots would result in a massive loss of jobs

Robots taking the roles of humans in the workplace has been an unending concern for the last few decades.

With the results of automation – which require little to no human interactions, jobs and wages have declined.

We see that many people have been either replaced by machines to do less work or have been laid off completely. Jobs that are taking about two or more people now require less or no one. And by continuing to get robots in the workplace, there would be a massive loss of jobs, and this would then have a domino effect.

 

Conclusion

The fact that companies bring robots into the workplace is nothing new.

Machines can do more work in less time, and they are proven to be successful in areas such as warfare and healthcare. They never get tired. Robots that are programmed to do a specific job don’t make mistakes. They remain consistent the whole day, which is unlike humans whose energy declines as the hours’ pass. Not only that, but they can also work in adverse situations which could never be done by humans. We’ve seen them in factories, and restaurants, we’ve seen them at events and shopping marts.

While the above is true, these robots can only do a specific job they were programmed to do. One robot can’t have the diversity a person could offer. Robots can’t offer solutions to problems out of their scope, while humans can find a creative way to do it. Robots can do anything, true, but they are limited when it comes to dealing with people. As people are capable of recognising emotions, robots can’t offer that kind of capability. They don’t know boundaries. They are incapable of building relationships and most of all, they don’t understand customer service.

When it comes to events and experiential marketing, nothing can beat an actual person. Remember, brands are bringing their products and services to humans and the last thing they wanted is robots as these brands’ representatives. Humans need to connect on a level where they would feel at ease knowing that they are speaking to a real person who can see them, understand, connect, and deal with their concerns. Only humans can bring the intellect, attitude and understanding another person is looking for. And the most important question is, who are these brands selling to? If we wanted people to feel how important they are, it just makes sense that we bring in people, not robots!?

 

Looking to hire an ‘actual person’ for your next event? ? Here at Black Diamond, we can provide hundreds of brand ambassadors to choose from based on your requirements.

Let us help connect your brand to your target audience. We’re just a phone call/ click away, (02) 8319 5544 or send us a message, today!

 

References

[1] https://smallbusiness.chron.com/robots-used-workplace-12994.html

[2] https://mashable.com/article/fabio-pepper-robot-fired-from-supermarket

[3] https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/emotionally-intelligent-robots/109353/

[4] https://researchoutreach.org/articles/social-robots-new-perspective-healthcare/

 

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