CHAPTER 9

A Brave New Robot World: Implications for the Marketplace

There are an endless number of things to discover about robotics. A lot of it is just too fantastical for people to believe.

—Daniel H. Wilson, roboticist and best-selling author (Barber 2011)

Chapter Overview

This final chapter summarizes the implications of the coming robot revolution for consumer behavior and marketing strategy that have been shared throughout the book. To help with digesting them all at once, we have organized them into a hopefully easy-to-remember framework of the “Five Laws of Consumer-Robot Interactions,” which can be summarized as follows: (1) Control over robots, (2) Curtail collateral ­damage, (3) Clarity about benefits, (4) Communication optimization between robots and humans, and (5) Caution with development.

Our Five Laws of Consumer-Robot Interactions

The coming robot revolution is, at this point, inevitable. It has already begun, and the forces driving it appear unstoppable. In research facilities at universities and corporations around the world, the endless push to advance robotics and artificial intelligence continues, supported by significant financial investment. Companies continue to voice intense interest in robotics, believing robots in consumer-facing roles will be smart economic investments for their firms, and provide a solution to labor challenges. Some countries, such as Japan, are absolutely desperate for robot workers for consumer-facing roles. Some industries, such as health care, believe they need robots to meet growing demand while also controlling labor costs. Consumers continue to show receptivity to certain types of robots for their personal use.

When a massive social, economic, and marketplace change such as this one is about to hit, it would be useful to have guidelines to follow, particularly guidelines that might make this massive change a more positive experience for all those involved. Isaac Asimov, beloved science fiction author known for his novels about robots, provided his famous Three Laws of Robotics 70 years ago:

These appear to be fairly reasonable laws, though they may be a little farther down the road in terms of applicability. More near term, we offer our own “Five Laws of Consumer-Robot Interactions.” Unlike Asimov’s laws, these laws apply primarily to humans, namely the humans who will be: (a) creating robots and (b) utilizing robots in consumer-facing roles in their businesses. The purpose of these laws is to optimize the robot experience for consumers and society at large and, as a result, also make the robot revolution more successful for the businesses involved in it. These rules are most appropriate in the early decades of our robot future, as the public slowly gets used to the growing prevalence of advanced robots in their midst. The laws are, in brief:

We will now go through our Five Laws in further detail, and explain how following these laws will help make robots more palatable to consumers, and make the upcoming robot revolution more beneficial to businesses, consumers, and the public.

Law #1: Control over robots. Make sure consumers always feel firmly in control.

The fundamental concern that underlies almost all human anxiety regarding robots is a potential loss of control. People fear that robots with advanced capabilities might act in a manner beyond human regulation. Importantly, there are two aspects to this. One is that robots get so advanced that they become self-aware and realize that they no longer need to serve humans. The second, which gets less coverage by the entertainment media but is evident in the public’s thinking, is that advanced robots could be controlled by a small corporate or political elite, neither of which are currently highly trusted. Such an elite can use robots against the public in smaller (invade our privacy) or larger (control our activities) ways.

How can companies developing robots or those planning to use robots in consumer-facing roles follow this law? Some ideas:

• Avoid robots with physical superiority—avoid arming robots; avoid robots in roles where they can subdue or overpower people; keep robots smaller than people in size (unless large size is required by their role).
• Avoid robots in positions of authority—avoid robots in roles of supervisors or bosses.
• Use appearance cues of friendliness, pleasantness, and, when appropriate, cuteness—for robots with whom consumers will regularly interact.
• Make robots hack proof—invest the extra time and effort needed to minimize the likelihood of hacks.
• Kill switch —have a verbal command that puts all robots into a temporary sleep mode. Anytime a human feels uncomfortable or threatened, he or she must have a way to stop the interaction immediately. Even if they never use it, let consumers know that they have that ultimate power over robots.
• Respect privacy—companies love personal information and data about individual consumers. However, avoid at all costs the temptation to use robots to collect data consumers would rather not share. Do not make consumers think robots are being used in any way against them.
• Choice—when robots are first utilized as frontline service agents, allow customers to have a choice of human versus robot. Let the early adopters who are more receptive to robots be the first to use them and let them spread the word to their friends and family.

Law #2: Curtail collateral damage. Minimize broader harm to society, particularly job losses.

Companies must see the robot revolution not simply as a technological revolution or even a business revolution. It is also, in fact, a significant socioeconomic revolution. Hence, a broader perspective is needed. Understand the potential consequences. Sometimes technology companies, driven by their enthusiasm about all things tech, run forward at top speed without taking time to think about negative consequences. Social media is a great example of this. The founders of Facebook assumed their creation would only strengthen democracy via the open sharing of opinions and ideas. After recent elections in the United States, United Kingdom and other countries, we have learned the negative political implications of Facebook and other social media platforms when used in nefarious ways.

The biggest concern among the public regarding robots, and rightly so, is job loss. The first robot wave, which took place in factories and warehouses, dislocated millions of workers and little was done to truly help them transition. Generations of families have paid the price. What is coming over the next few decades will likely cause job dislocation at an even larger scale. We should not again go through this type of social and economic upheaval unless we make every effort to minimize the collateral damage. Corporations benefiting from robotics must realize they, themselves, have a role to play in this, and not assume government or some other social force will do it. It is in a company’s own self-interest to do so. Consumers who see their friends and families, or themselves, lose their jobs due to robots, with no help in transitioning to a new livelihood, will have little interest in supporting any company that utilizes robots, particularly in a visible, consumer-facing manner.

Law #3: Clarity about benefits. Do not market a robot until its end benefits can be made clear to the consumer.

This is marketing 101, but the leaders of some robotics companies are driven more by their innate love of technology than their understanding of the marketplace. Robot developers naturally love their creations, but consumers will not buy a robot simply because it is new and shiny. Consumers must clearly envision the end benefit. That end benefit can be one of service (do my chores!), one of entertainment (play with me!) or one of companionship (be my friend!). And a robot must do these better than a less expensive alternative. Robots must deliver more than just hype.

For businesses wishing to use robots in consumer-facing roles, be sure the benefit to the consumer is clear. If robot workers are good for the business’s bottom line but they represent a decrease in the service experience for consumers, then consumer trust and loyalty will be lost. Always think of the customer-robot interaction from the customer point of view, and be sure the robot provides clear benefits to them. If consumers believe the robot revolution is purely for the benefit of corporations, their support will wane. Remember, consumers expect a noticeable payoff for themselves, for any robot utilization in customer-facing roles by businesses.

Law #4: Communication optimization between robots and humans. Focus on the communication experience between human and robot; it is the make or break touchpoint for consumer acceptance.

In marketing, we focus on the many touchpoints between the customer and the brand all along the customer journey. Increasingly, robots will be a key part of the customer journey and they will take center stage in many of these touchpoints. And the most crucial aspect of these touchpoint experiences will be the communication between the robot and the customer. Human-robot communication is where the rubber hits the road in terms of human comfort with interactive robots. No matter how capable the robot is, if the communication between the robot and the consumer is suboptimal, the consumer’s trust and interest will be weakened. Keep in mind the bonding factors discussed in this book, which will optimize human-robot communication:

• Robot social presence—via humanoid features; proper eye, head, and arm gestures; intelligence to maintain a natural conversation.
• Robot emotional intelligence—the robot can understand, respond to, and express appropriate emotions.
• Robot individuality—each robot portrays a distinctive personality.

Without all three of these components, truly effective human-robot communication will never be reached.

Law #5: Caution with development. Appreciate the gravity of what you are doing.

Let us all be humble as we move into the robot future. Robot developers and utilizers must appreciate the gravity of what they are undertaking. Keep in mind this is a significant social change, as well as a technological one. Some ways in which companies can do this:

• Number of robots. Businesses wishing to utilize robots should move slowly and stepwise in their incorporation of robots into customer-facing roles. For instance, it would be disorienting for a patron to walk into a restaurant one day and find the entire human waitstaff replaced by robots. Start with one support robot, and move gradually from there.
• Roles of robots. Use the survey results discussed in this book (Chapter 4) and start robots in roles the public shows a greater willingness to support. As consumer comfort grows, robots can move up to roles that would have been less acceptable initially. Move slowly and cautiously as you place robots in roles about which humans show the greatest concern.
• Appearance. Avoid the push for highly humanlike robots, at least for a while. Remember the Uncanny Valley! Allow a generation of humans to get used to generally humanoid robots first. While many roboticists may enjoy the challenge of pushing the envelope, do not push so far to where the public cannot yet follow.
• Test and retest and then retest again. Minimize malfunction potential. One robot on a malfunctioning rampage and it will take years to rebuild confidence.

Public relations will play a significant role in this process. Robot manufacturers and utilizers must communicate to the public that they appreciate the importance of what they are doing; that they are being responsible and cautious in the creation and utilization of robots. For many people, the robot revolution is Pandora’s Box being opened. Do not appear rash. Do not appear arrogant. Listen to concerns, and take them seriously.

The coming robot revolution is going to be a big one. It could go well, and benefit businesses, consumers, and society at large. Or, it could go quite badly. It all depends on the decisions we make, starting now.