Reflection on the stakes of the adoption of social robots: advantages, threats, barriers and drifts

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As the place of social robots is rapidly growing, their integration raises psychological, social, and ethical questions. This article proposes a reflection on the stakes of their integration and adoption. Designed to help, accompany, and relieve, their adoption gives rise to notable benefits in various fields. However, at this stage, their advantages remain insufficient to compensate for the threats they represent and the possible barriers and drifts to their adoption. The determinants and consequences of the advantages, threats, barriers, and deviations are individual, social, and societal. The objective of this reflection is twofold: on the one hand, to question the stakes involved in not using them and, on the other hand, to better understand the risks and drifts associated with their introduction. This double objective is part of a reflection on what is accepted and what is acceptable in social robotics.