Recalculate a ton of money and explore the mine: how the robots have already found a place among us

Robots have already ceased to be heroes of science fiction films and have been living among us for many years. We just do not always notice it.

However, the tasks that we are ready to give to their metal (or plastic) "hands" more and more. As a result, the efficiency of many processes is growing, and with it, fears of job cuts appear. According to McKinsey Global Institute forecasts, by 2025, “armed with artificial intelligence” robots can replace up to 100 million workers.



However, not all experts share this attitude. A few weeks ago there was a Skolkovo Robotics conference and the participants of the plenary session were “Robots among us. Robotics and artificial intelligence in the life of modern man ”- just discussed the prospects for the development of the industry and how it will affect our lives.
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The session was attended by the Chairman of the Skolkovo Foundation Arkady Dvorkovich, the First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sberbank Lev Khasis, the General Director of the VIST Group Dmitry Vladimirov and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Promobot company Alexey Yuzhakov. We share their theses in our collection.

About the functional advantages of robots

• Robots are already actively entering our lives. We just do not always notice it, because they may have different forms and types. For example, in Sberbank, less and less credit decisions are made by people. Automated systems help to deal with a potential fraud, keep track of customers' interests and prevent additional risk from cybercriminals.
• Software robots are already actively used to organize workflow. In particular, the processing of documents in digital form is carried out by robots. But physical robots are also widely used. Every year we [in Sberbank] recount about 100 thousand tons of cash. The robotic conversion site can process more than half a ton of money during the day. This is about three times higher in labor productivity compared to a person.
• One of the most promising sectors of the real sector for the introduction of robotics is the mining industry. Already now, projects are being successfully implemented for the extraction of solid minerals without the use of living labor.
• Today, there is an obvious need for robotized underground equipment, for example, in underground mines. Robots in the mining industry will make the miner's work safe, but at the same time maintain productivity. For mining companies, the situation in which the robot will be safe, but less productive than traditional technology, is unacceptable.

About actual problems of robotics

• Russia is lagging behind in the industrial applications of robots. When money is “expensive,” it is more natural to save a substantial part of the living work force, rather than invest in robotics. Of course, these investments would have paid off, but this may not work on a specific business model.
• The introduction of robots is highly dependent on the training of specialists. Now the qualification of specialists is falling, in particular, drivers, machinists. New professionals who will control robots and remote equipment - this is the future of the industry.
• Now the market for service robotics, according to the International Association of Robotics, is growing many times faster than industrial robotics. This is a kind of thin needle, which we in Russia can sew the world space. It is great to set trends in service robotics not only in our country.
• Service robots in business provide additional opportunities. Promobot created and patented its speech recognition system, and today we can train a neural model.

On the prospects of the industry

• It is believed that robots will threaten the employment of people, but rather they will create highly skilled jobs. In general, it is proved that artificial intelligence in working with humans is more useful to use than just a robot.
• A culture of interaction with robots in a social environment will not take a very long time to form, much faster than before adaptation to new technologies took place. However, it will take months, not months.
• Developments of start-ups and scientists-robotics should be demanded by business. It is necessary to support those organizations that are willing to use these robots, performing the functions of a test site, but in real conditions.
• Any experience of introducing robots in B2B and its competent assessment capitalizes not only the supplier, but also the customer. Through a quick search of hypotheses, everyone can find a solution that will be effective.