Should robots be made to look human?

Danna (No)

Making robots look human misunderstands the premise of robotics: to ease human life with intelligent automation. Human resemblance prioritizes a robot looking like a person over precision to conduct surgery demonstrates the frivolous futility of pursuing human presentation. 

Appearance is best when it facilitates function, and that function meets a particular need. Robots that drive cars do not resemble humans. Robot vacuums don’t resemble The Jetson’s Rosie. Some robots have no physical form at all. Focusing on streamlining functionality without considering human resemblance saves time, cost, and energy. The 'uncanny valley' phenomenon is offputting and can be avoided if function remains paramount to appearance.

Building trust in robots demands maintaining the ability to differentiate between humans and robots. Successful interaction with humanity is crucial to societal acceptance. Perhaps mirroring human behaviors over human appearance is the fine line between creepy and familiar. Star Wars's R2-D2 is universally loved, and he doesn't look or speak like a human. 

Conversely, humanoid-looking robots directly negatively influence societal acceptance. They can be perceived to be a threat by potentially gradually undermining our identity, as robots that look human personify the fear that robots will replace humans. Steering the narrative to demonstrate that robots work for humans rather than replace humans removes intimidation and threat.

Ethical concerns, already chief among moral issues surrounding robots, sharply increase when robots look human. Blurring the lines by resemblance creates the potential for deception, manipulation, confusion, and exploitation. The human tendency to assign agency is misplaced, especially for humanoid robots, which would then require humans to interpret robots as mindful beings rather than the machines they are. Responsible, ethical relationships and interactions between humans and robots are more easily facilitated when they do not resemble one another.

Hazman (Yes)

The idea of human-like robots sounds unnerving, but there are some very real benefits that accompany this concept and execution. The most obvious is practicality. Having a humanoid robot is useful to ensure it can efficiently navigate human environments, such as stairs and doors, as well as manipulate human objects, such as tools or computers. This is important if robots are expected to take over menial tasks or carry out dull, dangerous, or dirty work that requires human dexterity. 

Humanoid robots are also important for user comfort. Having robots with human elements goes beyond just aesthetics; it is important for them to have human features for when they are integrated into more human-facing activities, such as child care, customer service, palliative care, and elderly care. These niches are likely to be automated as technology improves and demand for intensive care increases as part of an aging population.

As tools for socialization, human-like robots are more acceptable confidants for people in need of someone to talk to but who do not feel comfortable talking to other people. For those with anxiety or people who want to practice conversation without the pressure of dealing with another person, a humanoid robot is a helpful alternative. 

Though much concern is raised about the 'uncanny valley,' it is by no means a guaranteed problem. Robots can have humanoid or humanlike features in a way that makes them endearing or cute even without attempting to reach the lifelike quality that leads to the uncanny valley. For all these reasons, the future is clearly human, even in our machines.