Introduction
The future of technology in the changing world is uncertain. Scientists and researchers are coming up with new ideas and new inventions that might affect people in different ways. The development of robots has enabled people to do various things concurrently without necessarily having to be present.
In fact, robots and human beings have interacted to the extent that human beings cannot do without robots. Robots make work easy and they enhance the quality of life (Nomura et al. 2009). However, there is a need to worry about the future, as people might have to rethink about their mode of working, resting, and playing.
The autonomous robots that seem to be very helpful might have negative changes on the lives of human beings. This paper will discuss the various ways in which the development of autonomous robots will change human lives positively and negatively.
Positive changes
Simplification of duties
In the modern society, autonomous robots have made it easy for human beings to accomplish tasks that require a lot of time to time and energy. Since they are self sufficient, the autonomous robots have the capacity to work in the absence of human beings.
Robots have played a significant role in enabling people to live better and simple lives. There is a very high probability that future autonomous robots will be more mobile than the current ones. They might have the capability to perform many tasks and human beings might have to relax most of the times.
There is a possibility that human beings will stop doing dangerous, boring, and strenuous chores (Danaher 2011). Currently, dishwashers have replaced the task of washing dishes using hands, while washing machines have saved human beings from the laborious chore of washing clothes manually.
There are numerous robots in the current world, and with the enhancement of technology, human beings might have to do less work than they are doing right now. In the future, robots will help in doing menial tasks as human beings employ their intelligence elsewhere. In fact, human beings are likely to make new inventions, as they will have sufficient time at their disposal.
Improved social life
People have always believed that work is a necessity for life. Although it might be true that people need to work to earn a living, there is no need to engage in traditional full-time employment. Automated robots will play a great role in handling blue-collar jobs as human beings spend most of their time finding new models of earning.
People will have the inspiration to redefine their notions about work and employment, and review their social lives. The development of autonomous robots will enable human beings to work smart instead of working hard. Therefore, people will have time to care for their families, friends, and relatives.
People will have more time to spend on leisure and self-improvement as robots do the work for them. They will offer social support that is necessary in healing the ailing societies as well as the people in it.
Economic growth
Scientists invented robots to reduce human error at the workplace and increase the efficiency of production. Big industrial companies are still enjoying the efficient production attributed to the use of robots. The future of the industrial companies is bright as enhanced robots are coming into the market.
Increased productivity plays a critical role in developing the economy of a particular region and improving the standards of living. Wherever companies rise economically, they have the potentiality of opening new branches and creating new job opportunities. It is evident that robots will play a significant role in enhancing economic growth and in enhancing the living standards in the future.
Reduced cost of production
Big companies find the cost of maintaining employees to be very high. While performing difficult and dangerous tasks, employers have to part with huge sums of monies to compensate the workers. Moreover, employers have to ensure that their employees have health insurance covers and employee benefits that are quite costly.
However, with the invention of robots, the production cost might reduce significantly (Wallé 2008). In the future, industrial robots will have the capacity to perform difficult and dangerous tasks repeatedly without complaining.
It is worth noting that robots do not need expensive health care insurances, and neither do they need benefits like human beings. The productivity of most companies will increase as the cost of production reduces significantly.
Increased precision
Precision is inevitable in the medical and military fields that deal with people’s lives. The introduction of humanoid robots to perform surgical procedures enhanced surgical procedures. Surgeries went on smoothly while patients recovered very fast, as there were no human errors.
In the future, scientists might develop enhanced robots to work in the medical field. The number of deaths might decrease significantly, and the time patients spend in hospitals will decrease. It is noteworthy that robots have the capacity to manage the distribution of medications to hospitals and pharmacies.
In future, the precise administrative roles offered by robots are likely to be more effective than they are currently. Various institutions are likely to adopt the robot management systems, and the number of errors will reduce significantly. In the military field, the robots will play a great role in enhancing military operations and in protecting the lives of people.
Enhanced educational systems
Robots have played a great role in enhancing the educational system in various learning institutions. The medical field, for example, has found robots to be very beneficial for administration and instructional purposes. Medical students use robots as test subjects, and the experience that students gain surpasses the normal experience with instructors.
Other educational institutions are also experiencing the benefits of instructional robots, and the future of education is bright with enhancement of technology.
Negative changes
Safety risks
Autonomous robots might prove to be very risky whenever they malfunction. The autonomous military robots, for example, have the ability to attack independently. In case of a malfunction, they might attack solders instead of attacking the targeted people (Bruce 2013).
Such cases would endanger the lives of innocent citizens who need protection from the military officers. It is evident that people living in developed nations use robots to perform household chores like cleaning, babysitting, and mowing.
However, cases of autonomous humanoid robots malfunctioning and killing children while babysitting might increase in the future. Children might have to change the way they play around with the robots. Moreover, people have a tendency of letting humanoid robots to take care of the elderly. The physical and ecological damage that robots might cause is immeasurable, and these incidences might change the lives of human beings negatively.
Possibility of increased unemployment
Autonomous robots perform roles that human beings performed previously. In the future, employers might find it unnecessary to hire new employees, as autonomous robots will do much of the work. Apparently, one robot can perform the role of about ten employees.
Moreover, humans are prone to making errors as compared to robots; thus, employees might resolve to work with autonomous robots instead of the human beings. The number of autonomous robots entering the market is increasing on a daily basis (Guizzo 2010). This is a clear indication that upon retirement of the current employees, developed nations might replace the current workforce with robots that will have efficient productivity.
The number of unemployed people might rise in the future and people might have to think of developing new ways of working. The machines that seem to be beneficial might lead human beings to a darkened age of miserly due to unemployment.
Change of culture
Humanoid robots have appearances similar to those of human beings. They act like human beings and they can entertain and offer efficient companion to human beings. In the future, humanoid robots might have the intelligence and emotions similar to those of human beings.
Human beings might resolve to interact and live with autonomous robots instead of living with other human beings (Robertson 2010). There is a fear that robots and human beings might develop social relationships that might be harmful to the society. Cases of human beings intermarrying with humanoid robots might increase, and the culture might change negatively.
Dominance of the robots
Humanoid robots have artificial intelligence that resembles the intelligence quotient of human beings. With the enhancement of technology, the robots’ intelligence levels might surpass that of human beings (Eisenberg 2002). In case the robots reach a point of matching the human capabilities, they might outperform humans and dominate them.
It is also noteworthy that robots are faster and more accurate than human beings are. They can process data and knowledge, and their potentiality might increase in the future. The worst reality is that the existence of robots obstructs human reasoning. Therefore, human beings will have to be more cautious while working with the robots than they are today.
Closure of small companies
It is evident that acquisition of new technology is very expensive. This unfortunate reality has adverse effects on small companies. While big companies will enjoy the positive effects of increased productivity, small companies might suffer because of the unconquerable struggle to outweigh the big companies.
The production costs of the small companies would remain significantly high, and such companies will only make profits if they sell their products and services at significantly high prices. Customers will obviously go for low priced products and services, and the small companies are likely to experience low sales.
With decreased sales, the profits decrease significantly, and the outcome is that the small companies would be incapable of running their operations and they would finally collapse.
Incompetent graduates
The rapid development of technology is proving to be a threat to the current education system. There is a fear that educational institutions might coach students with skills that might be outdated in the future. The uncertain future is a threat to the educational system as there is no sure way of preparing students for the robotic-centric work environment.
The job market in the future might be too demanding, and only a few graduates will possess the skills needed in the job market. Since the robots will perform all the manual work, human beings will have to perform duties that require critical thinking.
In such a case, only the most intelligent and most educated people will compete with the autonomous robots (Singer 2009). Since a standard population will consist of average and highly intelligent people, the average minded people might have difficulties in keeping up with the pace of the evolving world.
Conclusion
From the discussions, it is evident that autonomous robots will have both negative and positive changes in the lives of human beings. However, the robots are part of the enhanced technology that is imperative in the evolving world. Therefore, people should learn to embrace the positive changes that autonomous robots will bring to their lives.
Although people might view advanced technology as one of the contributing factors to unemployment, it would be important to rethink of how the autonomous robots help in creating reformed types of employment opportunities. Technology will play a great role in enhancing work relations in a socially beneficial manner.
Autonomous robots will help in enhancing the nature of work that human beings do, as they will act as poor labour substitutes. The fear of dominance of robots is insufficient as human beings have the capability to control their destiny.
Humans have the ability to control the social, political, and economic systems with the help of the robots. They can decide to control the population of robots depending on the societal needs. Overall, robot technology will play a significant role in changing human lives positively; therefore, people should learn to embrace all the changes that might arise due to the development of autonomous robots.
References
Bruce, N 2013, ‘U.N. expert calls for halt in military robot development’, The New York Times, 30 May, p. 16.
Danaher, J 2011, ‘The laws of thought’, The Philosopher. Web.
Eisenberg, A 2002, ‘What’s next: designers take robots out of human hands’, The New York Times, 28 February, p. 9.
Guizzo, E 2010, ‘World robot population reaches 8.6 million’, IEEE Spectrum. Web.
Nomura, T, Kanda, T, Suzuki, T, & Kato, K 2009, ‘Age differences and images of robots: social survey in Japan’, Interaction Studies, vol.103, no. 1, pp. 374 –391.
Robertson, J 2010, ‘Gendering humanoid robots: robo-sexism in Japan’, Body & Society, vol.16, no.1, pp. 1-36.
Singer, P 2009, Wired for war: the robotics revolution and conflict in the 21st century, Penguin Press, New York, NY.
Wallé, J 2008, The history of the industrial robot, Linköpings University, Sweden.
Appendix 1
