What Does it Mean to Humanize a Robot?

As robots become more integrated into our homes, schools, hospitals, and workplaces, the question isn't just what they can do, but how they do it. Can a robot offer comfort? Hold a conversation that feels real? Recognize and respond to your emotions?

The answer lies in humanizing social robots—infusing them with emotional and social intelligence that allows for authentic human connection. This concept is especially vital as the global social robotics market continues to grow. According to the Business Research Company Social Robots Global Market Report 2025, the market will grow from $5.72 billion in 2024 to an estimated $7.66 billion in 2025.

Yet despite the progress, public trust in robots remains low. In fact, a Chapman University survey found that "fear of robots" ranked higher than fear of dying. Why? Even the most advanced machines can feel uncanny or emotionally distant when they fail to act in a way that reflects human nuance.

Why Humanization Matters

We're wired to connect—emotionally, physically, and socially. A well-designed robot may look the part, but it can't feel truly relatable without subtle social cues like tone, timing, gestures, or imperfections.

That's where the arts come in. Whether through movement, speech, storytelling, or expression, artistic approaches offer a powerful lens for designing resonant robotic behavior. From sighs and pauses to frustration and laughter, the full range of human expression can—and should—be part of how robots interact.

Arts-Based Techniques in Robotics

Arts-based programming doesn't just add personality; it enhances authenticity. Voice modulation, dialect, body language, and even 'flaws'—like being cranky or sarcastic create a more engaging robot. Studies even suggest that robots exhibiting a range of emotions, including negative ones like frustration, are perceived as more real and trustworthy.

The arts also remind us that being human isn't just about being "nice." We admire flawed characters in theater and film because they feel true. Similarly, a robot expressing genuine-seeming emotional complexity may improve our ability to connect with it.

Building Robots That Resonate

Human-centered computing, a field at the intersection of engineering and the arts, explores how to make this connection work. By incorporating elements like dance, literature, voice training, and even storytelling into robotic programming, developers can design machines that serve and relate to humans.

The question of how robots can emotionally connect with people isn’t just a philosophical or ethical question—it’s practical. Robots that can respond to human behavior with empathy and nuance have the potential to improve caregiving, education, therapy, and companionship for isolated or vulnerable individuals.

Learn More: Humanizing Social Robots Course

If you're curious about how the arts and robotics intersect—or want to build robots that feel less like machines and more like partners—the online course Humanizing Social Robots offers a deep dive into this growing field.

Led by multidisciplinary robotics artists and innovators, this asynchronous course blends creativity, social science, and emerging tech to explore how robots can be programmed with empathy, expressiveness, and emotional intelligence.

Whether you're in research, robotics, design, or the arts, this course provides practical tools and provocative insights to help shape the next generation of socially intelligent machines.