Attitudes Toward AI-powered Robots in Policing: AI Literacy, Organizational Justice, and Occupational Wellbeing Among Chinese Police Officers

Abstract

Abstract The widespread implementation of digital technologies, such as big data, artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, has profoundly transformed policing in China. Several Chinese cities have recently launched humanoid robots performing patrol duty. However, little is known about frontline officers’ attitudes toward police robots and the potential organizational and individual correlates of such attitudes. Using survey data from 1194 Chinese police officers, this study examines the relationships between AI literacy, organizational justice, and occupational wellbeing and officers’ attitudes toward two types of humanoid police robots: a “service robot” focused on public relations and community policing and a “crime-fighting robot” engaged in surveillance, intelligence gathering, predictive policing, and criminal investigations. Chinese police officers show a stronger preference for the crime-fighting robot over the service robot. Regression results show that controlling for background characteristics, officers with greater AI knowledge, more AI training, stronger perceptions of organizational support for the use of AI, and higher self-legitimacy are more supportive of police robots. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.