What is an AI Robot?

As artificial intelligence has improved over time, it has enabled innovative solutions across multiple industries and businesses all over the globe. AI's rapid technological updates are similar to how improvements in robotics have improved the world over the last few decades. Now that both technologies have progressed, some companies have started experimenting with equipping robots with artificial intelligence to solve problems and transform businesses to meet ever-changing consumer needs. For example, some companies have already begun to utilize AI robots to greet customers in stores, provide personalized information about their shopping lists, and direct them to the correct aisle to find the necessary items. Additionally, farmers can now use AI robots to harvest ripe vegetables in the field and industrial settings. This approach allows an AI robot to keep workers safe by performing the more complex tasks that could potentially injure humans while operating in the same space as those humans.

What are the Benefits of AI-Powered Robots?

Integrating AI-powered robots into existing business models can be overwhelming to workers, especially at first. Many fear that their job will become obsolete because there will be robots that can safely do the exact same work for the same amount of time and will not need the same amount of compensation. It's a valid concern for workers, but the benefits of implementing this kind of technology are often too numerous to ignore. Some of those benefits include:

• Increased Productivity: Customers have reached the point where they expect their products to be delivered to their homes as fast as possible. No matter how many workers a warehouse has, meeting those high demands can be challenging. Especially since humans risk overworking themselves to the point of injury or fatigue, which can put them out of work for some time. AI robots can help meet those demand increases safely and perform repetitive and time-consuming tasks, such as keeping track of what items are almost out of stock or finding misplaced items. These advantages can lead to faster product delivery and better productivity, all while allowing human workers to take on less physically taxing tasks.
• Improved Quality Control: Like humans, AI robots are designed to have a detailed understanding of their environment and the tasks at hand. This allows them to handle complex tasks such as quality-control inspections. In fact, due to their industrial applications, these robots can check the quality on the line throughout the process instead of waiting until the very end, which can save time and money.
• Improved Worker Safety: AI robots can also improve workplace safety tremendously, especially in industries like oil and gas, where robots can perform inspection tasks or collect data in dangerous environments. Doing so means humans don't have to risk their health to accomplish these jobs.

What Capabilities Are Necessary for an AI Robot?

Plenty of robots not considered artificially intelligent are already working in various industries but still manage to help companies in numerous ways. This begs the question, what does a robot need to be truly intelligent?

• Machine learning enables the robot to use contextual information and real-time data to develop new learning pathways and capabilities, allowing them to solve new problems they encounter.
• Natural language processing enables robots to understand human language and respond in kind, so they can directly interface with customers.
• Conversational AI uses machine learning, natural language processing, and data to improve those language features and bring them to another level to create more human-like interactions.

As technology improves, AI robots will likely become more common across industries to access spaces that are unsafe to humans, improve productivity, and even allow for a more personalized shopping experience as these robots become better at human conversation.