If you’ve been following automation trends, you might have come across a new buzzword: cobots. Cobots, short for collaborative robots, are not like the traditional industrial robots you see fenced off behind safety barriers. Instead, they are specifically designed to work safely alongside human operators, sharing the same workspace without needing to be separated.
Whenever robots are mentioned, the first question that comes up is:
“Will they take our jobs?”
Well, it is a valid concern. Automation in the past (especially with traditional robots) has sometimes meant replacing repetitive manual labor. However, the story with cobots is a little different.
Cobots are not designed to replace humans but to work with them. Instead of doing everything on their own, cobots are there to assist. They handle dull, dirty, or physically tiring jobs, like lifting heavy parts, doing repetitive assembly, or performing precision tasks over and over, so that human workers can focus on things that require judgment, creativity, and problem-solving.
Think of cobots as an extra pair of hands that doesn’t get tired. For example:
- In an electronics factory, a cobot can handle tiny screws all day without error, while the human worker checks quality and makes adjustments.
- In a packaging line, a cobot can do the heavy lifting, allowing the human team to manage workflow and inspections.
By taking over routine work, cobots can improve safety, reduce injuries, and increase productivity, while leaving the complex and creative decisions to humans.
Experts believe that, in the long run, cobots could make jobs more meaningful rather than eliminating them. As cobots become more common, people will spend less time on boring tasks and more time on work that requires thinking, learning, and innovation.
So, will cobots replace workers? Probably not. Instead, they are more likely to work alongside humans as teammates, making factories safer, faster, and more flexible. The future of manufacturing seems to be less about “robots versus humans” and more about “robots and humans together.”
At Mirai, we specialise in helping businesses keep their automation systems running at peak performance.
Let’s future-proof your operations. Partner with us today and unlock the full potential of cobot automation.