COVID-19 has brought technology to the forefront to help protect and maintain our health and wellness in 2020. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), world’s largest tech professionals’ organisation, conducted a global survey across US, UK, India, China and Brazil, across millennial parents (between 24-39 years old) with Generation Alpha children (under 11 years old) during the pandemic and after it too. The survey was conducted to gauge the confidence of the millennial parents on AI and other technologies for the health and wellbeing of their families. 

Indian millennial parents were found to be very comfortable with these technologies. The survey found that 81% of Indian parents would be comfortable to take help of robot nannies to help their children do their homework as it would alleviate a significant amount of their Covid-19-related stress. Apart from Indians, only Chinese parents expressed similar comfort against the global average of 66% who would do so. 

When asked whether parents would leave their children, younger than two years, along with a full-time robot nanny, 76% parents answered positively, second only to Chinese parents, 80% of whom answered positively. The survey reached out to 400 parents in each of the countries. 

“The pandemic has accelerated the overall acceptance of social robots. They are being perceived as the best friend and caregiver for kids, unlike what has been pictured and propagated through silver screens. The advancement of AI has finally made it possible for a piece of metal to empathise with fine and delicate emotions through synthesis,” said Jayakrishnan T, Senior IEEE Member and CEO, ASIMOV Robotics.

Almost 40% of Indian parents will also be extremely likely to allow a robotic surgery on their child with at least 38% of parents agreeing for a 3D printed heart to be implanted in their child. Globally, almost 55% of parents are extremely or very comfortable leaving their child in the care of an AI-powered virtual nurse during a hospital stay in 2020.

“Leveraging the potential of technology, robots are now becoming saviours of human lives as well. They are performing complex open surgeries through minimally invasive means...Robots have proved to be crucial in the fight against the pandemic and to maintain the new world order. It is evident that emerging technologies like AI will have a huge role to play in 2021 and beyond,” Jayakrishnan T said.