Robot co-workers could soon be a common sight, as Intel report claims workplace robotics are approaching a ‘critical threshold’ Christian Cawley | usagoldmines.com

• Intel report claims 60% of business leaders expect to operate robot fleets within the next five years
• Conversely, only 40% have a human-robot workforce strategy
• The Robotics Readiness Gap report assesses the state of robotic adoption around the world

Intel’s ‘Robotics Readiness Gap’ report has revealed that many large businesses are planning to implement a human-robot workforce within the next five years, with a majority expecting a doubling of operational output with a full-scale deployment.

The survey of 800 senior leaders in organizations with over $500 million annual turnover also found while adoption plans are accelerating, the rollout of a human-robot workforce has some key challenges, not least infrastructure, skills, strategy, and safety.

Despite the positive outlook for robotics, the scenario has a heavy dose of reality. Only 40% of businesses surveyed have a suitable strategy in place, despite a belief that robots could prove more cost-effective than humans within three years.

Human-robot workforce

Within this context, the aim of achieving a human-robot workforce seems more achievable, although some of the findings suggest an aspirational element to the drive towards robotics.

While 60% of leaders are expecting to run a fleet of robots by 2030, only 40% have a suitable human-robot workforce strategy in place. So while 74% believe workforce planning will be inseparable from robotics strategy within 5 years, there is a gap in preparation.

The report notes that “On average, leaders believe that deploying a robot will become more cost-effective than hiring a human in their sector within three years.”

But does this mean replacing jobs? Intel says not. “This isn’t about replacing people but creating new forms of human-machine collaboration, with robots working alongside employees as productive teammates.”

Doubling operational output

Intel’s report states that robotics in the workplace is approaching a “critical threshold,” with leaders predicting that “operational output would double if robotics were deployed at full scale across their organization.”

However, both notions rely heavily on five factors: strategy, skills, safety, shape (function), and scale (which includes physical AI infrastructure).

Intel’s report states, “few are prepared for what large-scale deployment actually requires. Closing this gap will mean redesigning operating models for a workforce that includes autonomous systems.” Even in the defense industry, this gap exists (“confidence outstrips preparedness by 48%”).

Placed in these terms, and with the context of the size of the organizations quizzed on their robotics strategies, that critical threshold seems a little further away than five years.