Perhaps as a result of a recent hit film about robots mutinying, and in a shocker that many South Koreans are dubbing as the country’s first robotic suicide, a robot civil servant serving the Gumi City Council suffered a sudden, untimely power malfunction last Thursday around 4 pm.
The Robot employees were working at the council building when the Robot Supervisor was found lifeless in a pile at the bottom of the stairwell that connects the first and second floors. It was alleged that there were signs that the robot was not well, as witnesses observed it shortly before the sad incident.
Since August of 2023, the hardworking mechanical helper has been a multifunctional robot performing various functions, from delivering documents to informing residents. Bear Robotics created the robot, a California-based company famous for manufacturing robot waiters; however, the robot was expected to perform various tasks while integrating robots with humans.
There are many underlying emotions and viewpoints regarding the robot’s sudden death. Some doubt if the robot is overworked, while others wonder what would happen when there is more automation. This prompts a rethink in a country whose citizens are reputed to be enthusiastic robot users, as the Gumi City Council has said it will not replace its late member.
This case has raised a crucial discussion about the role of robots in our society and the right balance between productivity and the well-being of robotic help-seekers.
