As robots become more common in service industries, understanding the human response will be just as important as improving the technology.
New research has revealed how relationships between humans and robots could evolve as Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded in workplaces and everyday life.
It is hoped that the exploratory research, conducted by The University of Western Australia (UWA), Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Murdoch University, could help better prepare companies to integrate robots more effectively by optimising human-robot collaborations and balancing the contrasting expectations of workers and customers.
"Establishing relationships is part of the human condition," ECU Professor of Marketing and Service Science, Sanjit Roy said.
"Artificial intelligence (AI) includes disembodied systems like voice assistants and embodied systems such as service robots. As embodied AI becomes more common in workplaces and social environments, it will increasingly interact with humans in daily activities. This proximity will lead people to form working relationships with these systems, regardless of their attitudes toward adoption. As a result, human–machine interaction will become an integral and unavoidable part of modern organisational and societal life, shaping collaboration, communication, and everyday functioning."
The research identified nine types of relationship orientations showcasing the distinct ways in which people respond to service robots and revealing that acceptance of robots in customer-facing roles depends on far more than technology alone.
"The study found that frontline employees and customers assess service robots based on whether they appear trustworthy, socially appropriate and capable of meeting human expectations during service interactions," UWA researcher Dr Gauri Laud said.
The findings provide new insights into how people evaluate robots as co-workers, particularly in industries where customer experience and human interaction are critical (e.g., hospitality, healthcare, restaurants and aged care). The research highlights that successful human-robot collaboration relies not only on robotic capability, but also on the emotional, cognitive and functional expectations people bring into their interactions with service robots.
Dr Laud said the study helps explain why some robotic service experiences feel natural and effective, while others can feel uncomfortable or unsuitable.
"People don't judge service robots on technology alone, they judge them based on whether the robots feel helpful, trustworthy and appropriate in human interactions," she said.
The research also expands understanding of how robots create value alongside humans in service environments. By mapping the nine orientations across three key areas, how robots interact, how they perform their role, and whether they are perceived as suitable for the task, the study offers a deeper understanding of how robots are accepted in different service settings.
"The success of robots in customer service depends not just on what the technology can do, but on how well it fits human expectations and social behaviour," Professor Roy said.
"As robots become more common in service industries, understanding the human response will be just as important as improving the technology itself."
The research Exploring relationship orientation in human-robot value co-creation interactions was undertaken by Dr Gauri Laud (UWA), Dr Cheryl Leo (Murdoch University), Professor Chatura Ranaweera (Wilfrid Laurier University) and Professor Sanjit K. Roy (ECU).
