People want robots in warehouses and factories, not hospitals or schools, Hexagon study finds

• The sharpest divide is around care: 68% of adults would prefer a robot to handle heavy lifting, but just 12% would choose a robot for caregiving, according to Hexagon's global Robot Generation study.
• Adoption is conditional, not universal, as half of adults also prefer robots for monitoring hazards (52%), cleaning shared spaces (50%), and information lookup (50%), but 86% say clear rules for what robots can and can't do are essential.
• The next generation is already more comfortable with robots, children are far more open to robots across settings, and are 50% more likely than adults to see robots as "full colleagues" at work.

LONDON, June 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- New findings from Hexagon's global Robot Generation study show that both adults and children are open to robots at work, but are setting clear terms for where and how they should be used.

Asked whether they would prefer a human or a robot to handle specific workplace tasks, adults consistently chose robots for physical, repetitive, and hazardous work. 68% prefer a robot for lifting and transporting heavy items, 54% for carrying and delivering, and 52% for monitoring hazards. Children follow the same pattern with even greater openness, with 69% preferring a robot for heavy lifting, and 59% for carrying and delivering.

But where a task demands empathy or accountability, both groups shift decisively to humans. The widest gap is in caregiving: 67% of children and 71% of adults want a human to care for the sick, elderly or children. Elsewhere,  just 16% and 12%, respectively, would choose a robot, the lowest robot preference for any task tested.

"There's real potential for robots in areas like elderly care or classrooms, but as assistive devices, not as replacements for that essential human role," said Dr Jim Everett, Associate Professor in Moral Psychology.

"Ask people if they want to be cared for by a robot, and most say no," added Dr Blay Whitby, Technology Ethicist. "Ask if technology should help them remain independent in their own home for longer, and most say yes. It's the same technology, just framed differently."

The robot assistant era

When it comes to what people would actually want from a robot, the answer for both groups – adults and children – is practical help. Adults prioritise tasks such as capturing measurements or doing simple research (53%), managing admin (38%), and ensuring workplace safety (34%). Children want assistants that help them understand school lessons (60%) and generate ideas (48%). But the two groups diverge on how far they would take the relationship.

Only 21% of adults think robots should be considered full colleagues, and just 14% would want them in charge, while children are 50% more likely to view robots as full colleagues, pointing to a generational shift already underway. However, the mood remains mixed. 40% of adults say a robot colleague would be exciting, but 38% say it would be frightening, echoing the curious-but-cautious response captured in the first wave of the study.

Industry: the safe testing ground for robotics

The environment where robots perform these practical tasks also matters. Adults are most comfortable with robots helping in factories and warehouses (63%), well ahead of hospitals and clinics (45%), or classrooms (39%). This pattern holds across markets: in China, where 75% of adults have encountered robots in real life, 63% would be comfortable with a robot in the home. In contrast  just 32% in the UK, where exposure remains the lowest of any market surveyed. As the first wave of the study found, anxiety is highest where robots are least visible.

Preference also tilts toward machine-like robots (28%) over human-like (22%), suggesting that trust is built through function, not appearance. Yet adoption remains conditional: 86% of adults say clear rules for what robots can and can't do are essential. Furthermore concerns around security (51%), reliability (21%), and trust (26%) underline that governance must keep pace with deployment.

"People are telling us exactly where robots belong and where they don't, and their instincts are remarkably consistent across markets," said Burkhard Boeckem, CTO at Hexagon. "Industrial environments are where the tasks for robots are the most defined, the safety cases are mature, and governance is in public view. That is where people feel most comfortable working alongside humanoids, and it's precisely where our technologies already operate. This data confirms that the path to adoption runs through industry, not around it."

Methodology:

The Hexagon Robot Generation study surveyed 9000 adults and 9000 children aged 8–18  across the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, China, Brazil and India. The survey was carried out by Vitreous World on behalf of Hexagon between Oct – Nov 2025.

'Robot' in this context means a machine that can carry out tasks either completely on its own or with human guidance. These tasks could be pre-programmed or the robot could be acting independently. Robots can be found in many forms — for example, machines that build products, deliver goods, or help at home. They don't always look like people.

About Hexagon:

Hexagon is the global leader in measurement technologies. Our precision measurement, positioning, and autonomous solutions transform the world's most vital industries. From aerospace & defence, automotive, construction, general manufacturing, to mining and more, we provide the confidence that customers rely on to build, navigate, and innovate.

Hexagon (Nasdaq Stockholm: HEXA B) has approximately 17,000 employees in 50 countries and net sales of approximately 3.7bn EUR.

Learn more at hexagon.com

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SOURCE Hexagon