Usage Intention of Social Robots for Domestic Purpose: From Security, Privacy, and Legal Perspectives

Domestic robots, also known as companion robots or social robots, are physical humanoid robots. They connect with online platforms which enhance their functionalities, such as voice and emotion recognition, human facial recognition, along with other Artificial Intelligence (AI) related capabilities make them special. People’s perceptions of robots are changing rapidly. The market for domestic robots is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years. As the use of domestic robots increases, people perceive different kinds of security, privacy, and legal issues with their usage. Few studies have focused on these issues. This study has attempted to understand users’ intention to use robots for household purposes and focuses on their perceptions about security, privacy, and legal issues. Reviewing the literature and the theories helped us to develop the conceptual model. The model has been validated by PLS-SEM technique. The study finds that privacy and security concerns affect households use of domestic robots. The study also finds that few people are aware of legal implications. Also, the study reveals that people expect to get many benefits from using robots for household purposes.