The future of AI and robotics is down to two things – adoption and adaption. It’s success in day to day life, lies equally with the broad adoption of these technologies by the broader public, as well as the adaption, to embracing something new. There is a continuous hum to be heard, on the ‘rise of the machines’, which sits hand in hand, often, with fears around security; be it job security (the robots will steal our jobs!), cyber security (it’s Big Brother) or just security in one’s self (do I really need more help). Ultimately, it’s the aftermath of ensuring that all of these fears are demolished, that is surging the future of this tech.
For us, and broadly within the industry, the UK is a particularly interesting market. For a well-developed, innovative and tech-heavy region, the adoption rate of the day to day technology is markedly slow, particularly when it comes to AI and smart tech. The UK has the lowest penetration of dishwashers in Europe, something which I believe is linked to an underlying sense of pride. Using technology to do something that we’re perfectly capable of doing, such as wash our plates and sweep our floors, is seen as slightly lazy and almost even taboo. There is also this sense of trust, which is difficult to break; ‘if I do it myself, I know it’s done properly’. At Neato, we’re trying to break down these barriers and provide trustworthy smart technology, that saves you time to do the things you love.
[easy-tweet tweet=”Neato’s goal is providing the most reliable technology that consumers can trust” hashtags=”Technology, AI”]
Slowly but surely these ideologies are changing, with a more rapid flip in adoption gaining traction, over the last few years. This is arguably down to the refining of these technologies, a tactic which we think is the most effective in ensuring public satisfaction. We’ve seen tech in the home evolve from just devices, such as vacuums, to AI and smart home technology, such as Neato robot vacuums. As the technology develops, evolves and becomes more refined, the public becomes more trusting as malfunctions occur less and less frequently. Our fundamental goal at Neato is always providing the most reliable technology that consumers can trust, from our intelligent LaserSmart navigation and smart home connectivity to superior cleaning technologies. This is not only to benefit the brand but, as advocates for home robotics and artificial intelligence, also to develop consumer AI and Smart tech trust. Trustworthy tech equals future development!
Recent trends across the nation have seen the UK adapting to ideal ways of life. For years there has been continuous research looking into finding the idyllic lifestyle and on several occasions, the Scandinavian nations have been praised as the happiest way of life in the world. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that trends such as Hygge and Lagom are fast becoming the latest trends in the UK. Both styles embrace a clean, healthy, relaxed and ‘all in moderation’ lifestyle, which fundamentally fuels the adoption of AI and home tech battling the taboo. Yes, you can sweep the floors and clean your own plates, but why not leave the vacuuming to your trusty Neato? You get the satisfaction of feeling like you’ve worked hard and cleaned but with only half the work- all in moderation complete.
[easy-tweet tweet=”Yes, robots will fulfil certain aspects of life which may fall within the remit of a human job.” hashtags=”Robotics, AI”]
As part of the wider conversation, not just UK market specific, there is also a lot of concern around job and cyber security, but really, they come hand in hand. Yes, robots will fulfil certain aspects of life which may fall within the remit of a human job. Neato will vacuum where a house cleaner also would, but that doesn’t mean humans in the workplace will become obsolete. There will always need to be an added element of human control which will keep jobs available and create newer and better jobs – especially when considering the implementations of security with technology. As we expand our artificial intelligence horizons there will always be a demand for and expansion of security measures, from home security to malfunction security. Therefore, tech companies are continually staying open minded, adapting to demand and moving fast. Then there are multiple layers of testing before a product hits the shelves and continuously rolled out updates for their devices. At Neato, we leverage the security skills of Heroku and Amazon Web Services (AWS) for cloud services and data storage to keep our customer’s data protected. We meet all industry standards, such as using 2048-bit RSA private keys and AES 128/256 bit encryption, to ensure we keep data safe upon transfers and storage.
Overall, we see it’s important to continue to fuel the AI and smart tech conversations in order to inform the public and tackle the scepticism. As long as we continue to break down consumer barriers to information and innovation, the benefits alone will see the industry boom even further. I predict 2017 to be on the brink of a golden tech revolution.
Neato Robotics designs robots for the home to improve consumers’ lives, driving innovation with intelligent laser navigation, smart home connectivity, and superior cleaning technologies. For more information, visit: www.neatorobotics.com
Avril Murphy is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing, EMEA, for Neato Robotics, leaders in smart robots for the home. Launched in 2010, Neato drives innovation with intelligent laser navigation, smart home connectivity, and superior cleaning technologies. At Neato, Avril’s role is focused on establishing, cultivating and building the US-based company’s European market share. Prior to Neato, she held senior roles at Microsoft, where she was Director of Mobile for Western Europe and Logitech.