Can a Robot Be a (Good) Colleague?

Abstract

This chapter discusses three philosophical questions about robots in workplaces: (1) “can a robot ever be a colleague in any sense?” (2) “can a robot be a good colleague?” and (3) “can important values associated with collegial relationships be realized within human-robot interactions in workplace settings?” These might seem like strange questions. But people who work alongside robots have been observed to bond with the robots and regard them as members of their team. So the philosophical question arises of whether such reactions ever make sense or whether people who react to robots in such ways are making a mistake. This chapter argues that according to one plausible definition of what it is to be somebody’s colleague, a robot could be a colleague—they might even behave like good colleagues should behave. What is less likely, though, is that work-related values such as solidarity and recognition could be realized within human-robot interaction in workplace settings.