A new global survey from Hexagon, "The Robot Generation," spanning nine major markets and 18,000 participants, shows that robot anxiety is highest in regions where people have the least everyday exposure to robots, with the UK topping the list at 52% of adults expressing worry about potential issues when interacting with or working alongside robots.
Quick Intel
The Hexagon "Robot Generation" research highlights significant variations in public sentiment toward robotics across nine key markets. While AI software has become commonplace, physical robots evoke stronger unease in regions with limited real-world interaction.
In the UK, 52% of adults express worry that "something might go wrong" when considering robots, the highest rate among surveyed countries. This contrasts sharply with South Korea, where only 29% share similar concerns. The pattern suggests familiarity breeds acceptance: countries with higher everyday robot exposure report lower anxiety and greater enthusiasm.
British respondents are the least likely to have encountered robots in person (30%), yet a majority have engaged with AI tools recently, and over half equate AI chatbots with robots. This indicates discomfort centers more on embodied, physical AI than on software-based systems already integrated into daily life.
Chinese participants lead in exposure (75% have seen or used robots) and optimism (81% excited about future potential), aligning with widespread AI adoption (90% used in the past three months) and a cultural tendency to view chatbots as robots (76%).
Comfort levels depend heavily on context and task. Respondents feel most at ease with robots in industrial settings like factories and warehouses (63%), where roles are structured and safety protocols are established. Support drops for domestic (46%) or educational (39%) environments, where boundaries feel less defined.
Contrary to common assumptions, job displacement or rogue behavior are not the primary fears. Instead, 51% cite security risks—robots being hacked or misused, endangering data and systems—as their top concern, ahead of physical harm or malfunction (41%) and job replacement (41%).
The study points to practical steps for building trust: increasing visibility through safe, everyday interactions; defining clear purposes and boundaries; and implementing robust controls around data, decision-making, and governance.
"People are not having a single abstract debate about 'robotics,'" said Burkhard Boeckem, CTO at Hexagon. "They are making practical judgments about where robots, in all their form factors, belong, what they should do, and how securely they are governed. Anxiety grows where robots feel invisible, poorly understood, or out of human control."
"Trust is built through experience and clear boundaries," Boeckem added. "When people understand what robots are for, and what they are not, confidence follows."
"It's not just 'do you trust AI?' It's which tool, used for what? A robot helping children learn is very different from an AI system used in defence, even though we often talk about them as the same thing." — Dr Jim Everett, Associate Professor in Moral Psychology
"When people actually meet a robot, especially a small, friendly one, the fear often disappears. You can almost hear them think, 'Oh, that's not going to take over the world.' Exposure changes the conversation very quickly." — Michael Szollosy, Research Fellow in Robotics
The findings underscore the importance of demystifying robotics through transparent communication, demonstrated safety, and purposeful deployment to foster appropriate reliance and reduce unfounded concerns.
About Hexagon:
Hexagon is the global leader in measurement technologies. We provide the confidence that vital industries rely on to build, navigate, and innovate. From microns to Mars, our solutions ensure productivity, quality, safety, and sustainability in everything from manufacturing and construction to mining and autonomous systems. Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 24,800 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 5.4bn EUR.
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