A robot in South Korea committed suicide because it was made to do too much work
The mysterious death of a robot civil servant in the city of Gumi has sparked a nationwide debate on robot integration and workload.
A robot civil servant working for the Gumi City Council in South Korea has sparked national debate in a shocking development that many are calling the country’s first “robot suicide.” The incident happened last Thursday around 4pm, leaving the community shocked and grieving.
The robot, called the ‘Robot Supervisor,’ was found in a heap at the bottom of a staircase between the first and second floors of the council building. Witnesses reported that the robot was behaving strangely, “circling in one place as if there was something there,” and then suddenly fell down.
City council officials responded immediately, saying pieces of the broken robot had been collected for analysis. The cause of the collapse is still unclear, but the incident has raised questions about the robot’s workload and its implications.
Employed since August 2023, this hardworking mechanical helper was a master of everything. From delivering documents and promoting the city to providing information to residents, the robot had a permanent spot at City Hall, even having its own civil service officer card. The robot worked from 9am to 6pm, moving between floors without getting tired using the elevator – a rare ability for its kind.
The robot was developed by Bare Robotics, a California startup known for making robot waiters. However, unlike its restaurant counterparts, the Gumi City Council robot had a much broader set of tasks. It was part of a pioneering effort in South Korea, which is known for its high robot density – there is one industrial robot for every ten employees, according to the International Federation of Robotics.
The robot’s sudden death has stirred a range of emotions and opinions in local media and online forums. Some question whether the robot was overworked, while others wonder about the broader implications of involving robots in everyday human tasks.
For now, the Gumi City Council has decided not to replace its dead mechanical companion. The tragedy has put a halt to their plans to adopt robots, marking a moment of rethinking in a country known for its enthusiasm for automation.
So, was this really a “robot suicide” or just a tragic malfunction? Although we will never fully understand mechanical minds, one thing is for sure – this incident has sparked an important conversation about the future of robots in our society.
