The need for human-centered design for AI robots in urban parks and forests

Abstract

The beneficial effects of urban parks and forests on the well-being of city dwellers have gained widespread recognition. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) robots have been employed in urban parks for various purposes, such as 24-hour patrol, COVID-19 physical distancing, and assisting visitors. While these robots offer significant benefits, visitors may harbor a negative perception towards autonomous robots, which could potentially undermine the recreational experiences in urban parks and forests. To test such impacts of AI robots, this study examines public perceptions of AI robots in urban parks. An extensive dataset of 36,520 comments from YouTube videos showcasing these robots was collected and analyzed using sentiment analysis, binomial logistic regressions, and topic modeling. The findings revealed that negative comments were widespread, encompassing their fear of AI robots controlling and harming people. These findings underscore the importance of adopting a human-centered approach in the design and implementation of AI robots in urban parks.