Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
Are Robots And AI The Future Of Cleaning?
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.
We have come a long way from the cleaning robot maid that appeared on The Jetsons in 1962. From what was once Science fiction has now turned the question of “If” into “When”. In this article, we will provide some perspective for what the future of cleaning looks like especially when discussing Robots and AI. The short answer is, Yes they are the future - but not in the way you might think.
The Future Of Robots And Cleaning
It goes without saying that robots have started to creep into society more and more. They may look different, but culture at large has already begun embracing robots in their cleaning process especially with simple remedial tasks. Many homes today contain roombas by irobot that have capability to map the square footage area they clean and encounter many different surface types without worry. We have pool cleaning robots, window washing robots, and commercial floor cleaning robots that service as much as 18,000 sq. feet an hour. It seems inevitable that robots will one day play a huge role in cleaning operations if they are not already.
However, everyone has experienced an issue with a robot before. A screen that did not work because it was too hot, a vacuum that sucked in something it should not have, a part that needed to be replaced and was not readily available. The truth is robots are simply done as they are told. Their capabilities, while immense, are limited to those instructions and understanding they were programmed with. They are fantastic at enhancing and covering work that needs to get done on a regular basis alongside a human operator.
We think it is best to compare them to the revolution of vehicles. When you look at the transition from horse and locomotive travel to personal vehicles, the access and ability cars provided consumers was a drastic change in speed and control. While it took a few decades for them to be available to all individuals, they have now become synchronous with the way we do business and live our lives.
Cars paved the way for opportunities and revolutionized industries in so many avenues it is hard to see the flaws in them. However, the majority of them still require a human operator, still require regular maintenance, and are prone to accidents that can be quite costly to the people and businesses that operate them. So much so, insurance is federally required because of the financial risk they pose to society.
Overall, robots in the cleaning industry are definitely here to stay and should be encouraged to enhance cleaning efficiency in most cases. However, it is doubtful robots will ever reach the point where they replace an entire custodial team without the need for extra involvement from humans.
The Future Of AI And Cleaning
We know what you are thinking. Robots may not be the future yet, but what about the inclusion of AI? Once it can think for itself, could it not start improving processes on its own?
Theoretically, that is a valid use case for AI. However, we need to remember that what today’s AI is based on is LMM’s (Language Learning Models), which are essentially massive data sets and decisions are made based on the current set of data. This can lead to a lot of quick thinking that is often great at beefing up current thought processes or procedures. Although, the edge cases are where this proves problematic.
Imagine a scenario where there is a large puddle of water in a room that is often unvisited that needs to be mopped up. The catch is there is exposed hot electrical wire touching the water as well due to some wall damage that has not been repaired.
We can assume for the human approach - they would identify the concern and issue and either put on the right protective equipment or address the problem right away without getting electrocuted. Even in the scenario where the worker is electrocuted there are detailed ways and steps of workers comp and insurance which guarantee things are handled correctly and the business itself doesn’t lose out on unnecessary cash.
When we look at the AI enhanced robot, how does it identify the risk if the data point has never been present previously? It either rushes in to clean it up and the metal build proceeds to be shocked until it will no longer turn on and you lose the money on that investment OR it picks up the electrical wire and does not get shocked somehow while proceeding to clean the area, yet because it was designed and trained to clean the area - It is not going to fix / patch the damage or report it to the appropriate place.
Therefore, what you end up having is two negative scenarios. Either you are out the cost of the robot which you might recover after a 3 month long claims process with the insurance company or the job it was assigned was completed but the risk of that hot wire remains a threat to occupants.
Are Robots And AI Actually The Future Of Cleaning?
Resoundingly, yes. Robots and the implementation of AI will be key to improving cleaning quality and efficiency over the years to come. You can expect to purchase, utilize, work alongside, and even teach a robot or two in the future. However, the future of AI robots taking jobs or replacing entire cleaning workforces leans to the absurd and would make it difficult for those edge cases, like we discussed, where a human element would likely lead to a more favorable outcome for the individual, team, and company at large.