A civil servant robot working for Gumi City Council in South Korea was found unresponsive after a fall down a staircase.
This marks what locals are calling the country's first robot suicide.
Witnesses reported seeing the robot circling in one spot just before the fall.
In a tragic incident that resonates with many overwhelmed by workload, a civil servant robot working for Gumi City Council in South Korea was found unresponsive after a fall down a staircase. This marks what locals are calling the country’s first robot suicide.
The incident occurred a few weeks back when the robot, known as the ‘Robot Supervisor,’ fell down a two-meter staircase. The Gumi City Council announced that the robot is now defunct. Pictures from the scene showed the robot lying smashed between the first and second floors of the council building, reports The Daily Mail.
Witnesses reported seeing the robot circling in one spot just before the fall, but the exact cause is still under investigation. A city council official stated that the robot’s pieces have been collected for analysis by the company.
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The robot had been assisting with daily document deliveries, city promotions, and providing information to local residents. Another official commented, “It was officially part of the city hall, one of us. It worked diligently.”
Local media headlines questioned the apparent robot suicide, asking, “Why did the diligent civil officer do it?” and “Was work too hard for the robot?” Online reactions included comments such as, “If the workload had been too much, would he have spun around for a long time and then rushed down the stairs?” and “I pray that scrap metal rests in peace.”
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Appointed in August 2023, the robot was one of the first used in this manner in Gumi. Made by Bear Robotics, a Californian robot-waiter startup, the robot worked from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and even had its own civil service officer card. Unlike other robots, it could call an elevator and move between floors on its own.
South Korea is a global leader in robot usage, boasting the highest robot density worldwide with one industrial robot for every 10 employees, according to the International Federation of Robotics. Despite this, the Gumi City Council has stated that it is not planning to adopt a second robot officer at this time.
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Ayushi Jain
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