The first generation to grow up with AI has higher expectations of robots, Hexagon study finds

Children also have greater real-world exposure to robotics. Nearly six-in-ten (58%) have encountered a robot firsthand, compared with 48% of adults. The contrast is particularly striking in Britain, where adults are more familiar with robots through films, television, books and games (77%) than through real-world encounters (30%).

Meanwhile, robot scepticism is rife in British adults; they record one of the highest levels of concern over robots (52%), compared with 44% in China and 29% in South Korea. The stark divide suggests that both familiarity and the nature of that exposure, whether through fiction or real-world encounters, could play a powerful role in shaping how people perceive robots.

From assistant to colleague to boss: where humans draw the line

The divide between today's adults and tomorrow's workforce becomes even clearer in the workplace. Robots are already widely accepted as assistants, with 71% of adults and 76% of children comfortable with them in that role. But acceptance falls as robots are given greater status and authority, and the generations begin to diverge when robots move from assistants to colleagues.

Children are almost 50% more likely than adults to be excited about working alongside a robot colleague (59% vs 40%). In Britain, that workplace divide is particularly pronounced, with 58% of children saying they would be excited to work alongside a robot colleague, compared with just 28% of adults. What’s more, globally, 20% of children compared with 14% of adults believe robots could be the boss.

“This isn't about preparing for a world where robots replace people. It's about preparing for one where people work alongside intelligent machines every day. The biggest barrier to that future may not be the technology, but whether today's adults are ready for it. Children are already growing up comfortable with AI and increasingly familiar with robotics, and we need to make sure the rest of society isn't left behind,” said Burkhard Boeckem, CTO of Hexagon.

When asked to imagine having a personal robot assistant, children and adults also envisioned different roles. Children were most likely to see the bigger possibility that robots could unlock, viewing them as learning partners, with 60% wanting help understanding school lessons and 48% wanting help coming up with ideas for lessons and homework. Adults, meanwhile, saw robots in less collaborative roles, primarily as workplace assistants, with 53% wanting help with basic tasks such as capturing information or simple research, followed by diary and meeting management (38%).

Commenting on the findings is Ferdinand Doepel, Deputy Head Academic and Innovation at Wimbledon High School, who believes that as children anticipate a future increasingly shaped by robots, education will be critical to preparing them for it: "The most surprising finding isn't that children are excited about robots, but that they're already imagining how they'll work alongside them. But just because young people have grown up with technology, including AI, and they know how to use it at a surface level, doesn’t mean they instinctively understand its implications.”

He explained, “Students can prompt a chatbot fluently and still not see its limitations, or what leaning on it does to their own thinking, or what happens to the data they put into it. Education has an important role to play in equipping young people with the skills to navigate AI, and increasingly robotics, responsibly. To do this successfully, collaboration amongst educators, policy makers, and industry experts is essential.”

“Our research shows that preparing for this future means looking beyond technical skills alone. We need to give people practical experience with robotics while building the critical thinking, creativity, and confidence so that people of all ages can use these technologies responsibly. That's how we ensure every generation can adopt robotics safely, productively, and at scale,” concludes Burkhard Boeckem, CTO of Hexagon.

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Methodology:

The Hexagon Robot Generation study surveyed 9,000 adults and 9,000 children aged 8–18 across the USA, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, China, Brazil and India. The survey was carried out by Vitreous World on behalf of Hexagon between Oct – Nov 2025. 

‘Robot’ in this context means a machine that can carry out tasks either completely on its own or with human guidance. These tasks could be pre-programmed or the robot could be acting independently. Robots can be found in many forms – for example, machines that build products, deliver goods, or help at home. They don’t always look like people. 

About Hexagon:

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Carla Gutierrez, Senior Director Communications, [email protected]
Lena Spicer, Account Director, MikeWorldWide (MWW), [email protected]