(MENAFN- Mid-East Info)

• The session is organised by the UAE Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum.
• The workshop sought to explore how trust in social robots can be fostered, as they become increasingly present in people's everyday lives.

Dubai, UAE -October 2025 – Experts from government, academia, and industry from around the world convened at the 'Workshop on Shaping Pathways for the Future of Social Robots', a session organised by the UAE Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR), in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF), as part of the Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025, taking place on 14-16 October in Dubai.

The event is organised by the UAE Government in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), bringing together more than 700 experts and specialists from 93 countries in 37 Councils, where Council members focus on advancing global efforts to design a sustainable future, enhance quality of life for communities, and create opportunities for future generations.

The workshop sought to explore how trust in social robots can be fostered, as they become increasingly present in people's everyday lives, including hospitals, schools, airports, and homes. The discussion was facilitated by Karl Bezdikian and Qasim Kapasi from the Dubai Future Foundation; Fatma Abulhoul, Head of C4IR; Isabella Pirolo, Member of C4IR; and Mikhail Rudik, from Dubai Future Labs.

Participating experts defined 'Social Robots' as robots specifically designed to interact with humans in everyday life. They can be found in sectors such as healthcare, customer service, and education, but also at home, where they serve as companions and can even perform surveillance and monitoring functions.

The adoption of social robots has long been constrained by complexity and elevated cost, participants explained, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic marked a turning point, where social distancing made robots useful in fulfilling certain tasks that humans could not safely do at the time, such as home deliveries.

They shared insights and expertise on the development of social robots and their current use cases worldwide, delving deeper into the subject from various angles, such as ethics, regulations, cultural acceptance, and the role of media and education. The workshop then concluded with recommendations on pathways for responsible adoption of the technology.

Experts at the session pondered the question if these robots can replace humans, deducing that we were still very far from that. Looking forward to the future, they predicted the boundaries between humans and technology will blur even further, and we may one day be living in a society where robots and androids are fully integrated and accepted.

Launched in April 2019 as a collaboration between the Dubai Future Foundation and WEF, the UAE Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and is the first affiliate centre of its kind in the world, offering a global public-private platform for the collaborative development of technology governance and policy protocols. The Centre enables multi-stakeholder dialogue and concrete cooperation on governance challenges and opportunities presented by advanced technologies from the fourth industrial revolution (4IR).

The Annual Meetings of the Global Future Councils and Cybersecurity 2025 cover six broad themes: Technology, Economy, Society, Environment, Governance, and Health. This year marks the first time the Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity is held concurrently with the Global Future Councils, setting a new milestone in the 16-year-long strategic partnership between the UAE Government and the World Economic Forum, during which nearly 900 Global Future Councils have been held, engaging more than 12,000 officials and experts from around the world.

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