A robot nanny for my kids? Sounds an absolute dream

Wearied by single parenting, Charlotte Cripps wonders what family life would look like with a cyborg childminder in tow

- Charlotte Cripps

Rishi Sunak has got me thinking about robots. In his preelection speech, the PM suggested that while artificial intelligence can be dangerous, it can also provide an opportunity for progress – so much, he claimed, that its effects could be even more significant than the Industrial Revolution. But what would these effects look like in the home? Could these robots help with the housework? Or help me look after my children? Sunak suggested that AI is set to affect nearly 40 per cent of jobs – is being a nanny one of them?

I pondered how an AI robot nanny might be advertised. “Are you tired of the endless search for a reliable, trustworthy and engaging childminder? Look no further! The solution to all your childcare needs is... an AI robot nanny.” To be honest, I didn’t mind the idea. There’s the unwavering reliability, no more lastminute cancellations, or unexpected days off. They could be available around the clock, wouldn’t get tired or fed up with your kids, and could probably load the dishwasher and fold the laundry, too – leaving us parents more time to spend with our children. The only big drawback? They lack emotional connection.

Never mind, I think to myself, as I imagine the perks of a future with AI nannies. My children get love from me – I just need backup support. I’m a single mum with a six- and eight-year-old, and quite frankly, the idea of a robot nanny on tap is an absolute dream. I know, of course, that there are ethical concerns. As Nick Hawes, professor of AI and robotics in the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University, points out: “Who is responsible if you leave your child with a robot and something goes wrong?” I hadn’t thought of that…