South Korea’s Gumi City Council announced on June 26 that its premier administrative officer robot apparently dropped “dead’ after the cyborg seemingly leapt to its life’s end down a six-and-a-half foot flight of stairs. The city council is speculating if the now-defunct robot’s demise was, in fact, an act of suicide as an official caught the robot “circling in one spot as if something was there” before the supposed tragedy, according to French outlet Agence France-Presse.

The robot in question was selected as a city council officer in August 2023 and could move between floors on its own by calling an elevator.

The question remains: Why did the cyborg do it? Gumi City officials relayed that an investigation will promptly kick off, digging into the supposedly “depressed” robot’s death. “Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company.”

Made by California-based root startup Bear Robotics (especially known for its class of restaurant-serving robots), the uniquely designed robot was the first of its kind to be appointed as a city council officer. According to an official, it “helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information.” Like any other regular employee, the cyborg worked from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and possessed its civil service officer card as well.

Another officer said the robot was a “diligent” worker. At the moment, the Gumi City Council reportedly isn’t considering bringing in another robot officer.

South Korea is renowned as a rapid adopter of robotic technology. According to the International Federation of Robotics, the country has the highest robot density in the world: one industrial robot for every ten human employees.

As dystopia shapes into a mind-boggling reality, several headlines are already weighing in on the unprecedented incident, mulling over whether the cyborg took its own life after struggling with “work stress.”

Credit: Hindustan Times

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