The robot civil servant was found broken in the stairwell between the first and second floors of the building.
A robot employed by South Korea’s Gumi City Council, manufactured by California-based startup Bear Robotics, suffered a significant fall down a flight of stairs, leading to local reports speculating it as the nation’s first robot “suicide.”
The robot, originally tasked with document delivery within the council building of Gumi, a city in central South Korea, fell approximately six and a half feet down stairs, resulting in its demise.
Local media outlets have mourned the robot’s unexpected end, suggesting it may have taken its own life. The robot was first deployed in August 2023, marking an innovative step for the city. South Korea currently employs one industrial robot for every ten workers, as reported by Reuters.
The robot civil servant was found shattered in the stairwell between the building’s first and second floors. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fall, with the company retrieving the robot’s remains for further analysis, according to a city council official speaking to Reuters.
Witnesses described seeing the robot “circling in one spot as if something was there” prior to the accident. Its duties included daily document deliveries, promoting the city, and providing information to residents.
This incident has sparked critical discussions regarding the ethical implications of integrating robots into human roles, as well as concerns about their workload and overall well-being in the workforce.
Following the incident, Gumi City Council has announced it will not pursue another robot officer for the time being.
