Should We Let Parenting Be Taken Over By Robots?

Our children are the most important things in our lives. Every parent knows they would go through hell and back for them. We love, worry, and care about them; we try to shield their innocence for as long as we can, and we do everything to make sure their days are joyful and that they are safely tucked in their beds at night.

Yet, in today’s world of hustle and bustle, we also need to go out and work. In these difficult economic times, we are forced to work longer hours and even need to take on double shifts. The quality time we have for our kids is constantly decreasing. Quite understandably, we entertain a good dose of guilt as a result and try to make up for it any way we can. But, would you let a robot do your parenting for you?

CES 2017 in Las Vegas was where Kuri, the family robot, was first unveiled. Although it is still only available for preorder right now, it is expected to start shipping by Christmas 2017.

Kuri’s makers, Mayfield Robotics – a startup from Bosch – promise that once she (they frown upon using “it” and suggest we call the robot either a “he” or “she”) is adopted by a family, she will quickly assimilate. She is highly aware of her surroundings, has her own personality, and is a multitasking little wonder.

But her main job will be to keep a digital eye on the kids, to entertain them, and to be a pal when they need one – just like a parent. Kuri can read them bedtime stories, she understands and replies to queries, and she can even play hide-and-seek. Parents can remotely connect to her and, through her camera, see what is happening at home.

Kuri looks cute, too. Her tiny figure and adorable eyes will tug at your heart. She blinks, smiles, and can look up and down. She doesn’t have a mouth, but she can nod and “speak” using bleeps, beeps and chirps. She is touch-sensitive and reacts to human contact. She is very smart and can avoid obstacles.

But she’s not human.

While the $699 robot will certainly be a useful addition to a family, there should be concern about whether we are altering the family structure itself and, in a digital world where people are becoming increasingly isolated, further distancing ourselves from our children. They are already too immersed in their smartphones while on the go and in the house they are either in front of the TV or online behind closed doors. Throwing a robot into the mix could probably push them further away, especially if they have to grow up and mature with the likes of Kuri starting from a tender age, when they need us the most, when they should be learning how to communicate, how to interact, and how to express and read emotions from us.

Instead, they will have to deal with a cold inanimate object. As highly intelligent as she may be, Kuri will not understand our children’s fears, she will not offer the comfort of a mother’s touch or a father’s hug, she will not read our children’s emotions, and she won’t impart valuable real life lessons or give parental advice.

So, the question that really needs to be asked is: with Kuri in the house are we creating a more efficient digitally enabled family, or are we heading towards a totally dysfunctional one?

Featured image via Mayfield Robotics