Robot ‘Commits’ Suicide After Non-Stop Nine-Hour Shift: A First in South Korea
Can robots experience work-related stress? Apparently so. In a startling incident at the Gumi City Council in South Korea, a civil servant robot named Robot Supervisor has reportedly “committed suicide” by plunging down a flight of stairs, sparking widespread bewilderment.
On June 26, the council discovered the scattered parts of Robot Supervisor between the first and second floors of the building, where it had apparently hurled itself from exhaustion. According to reports from the Daily Mail, this marks South Korea’s first recorded case of “robot suicide.”
The Robot Supervisor, known for its diligent service, maintained a grueling schedule from 9 am to 6 pm daily. Witnesses recounted seeing it circle persistently in one spot before its fateful descent, raising questions about what led to its tragic fall.
Authorities are now investigating the incident to understand why the robot, burdened by its workload, took such drastic action. This unexpected event has sparked a broader conversation about the implications of long working hours on artificial intelligence and robotic technology.
The case of Robot Supervisor serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities surrounding human-made entities and the unforeseen challenges they may encounter in the workplace.
