Diverse group interacting with a friendly Pepper robot, symbolizing trust and human-robot interaction.

Will Robots Steal Your Heart? How Understanding AI Capabilities Builds Trust

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Kai Mendoza in Tech & Innovation April 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore the surprising ways awareness and interaction shape our trust in robots, from initial skepticism to confident reliance."


As robots become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, understanding the factors that influence human-robot interaction (HRI) is more critical than ever. At the heart of successful HRI lies trust—a complex sentiment that dictates how willing we are to accept assistance, delegate tasks, and even form companionship with these machines.

A groundbreaking study, "Getting to know Pepper: Effects of people's awareness of a robot's capabilities on their trust in the robot", delves into how our awareness of a robot's capabilities directly impacts the trust we place in it. Conducted by researchers Alessandra Rossi, Patrick Holthaus, Kerstin Dautenhahn, Kheng Lee Koay, and Michael L. Walters, the study challenges preconceived notions and highlights the transformative power of knowledge and experience.

This article explores the key findings of this research, offering insights into how trust evolves through different levels of interaction. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a robotics student, or simply curious about the future of human-robot relationships, understanding these dynamics is essential.

From Skepticism to Support: How Awareness Builds Robot Trust

Diverse group interacting with a friendly Pepper robot, symbolizing trust and human-robot interaction.

The study centered on a group of secondary school pupils who engaged with a SoftBank Robotics Pepper robot through three distinct phases: watching a commercial video, participating in a live interaction, and programming the robot's behaviors. Questionnaires were administered after each phase to gauge changes in the participants' perceptions and trust levels.

Initial reactions to the robot were mixed. After watching the commercial video, many participants expressed uncertainty about having Pepper in their homes. This skepticism is attributed to a general distrust of advertising and a lack of real-world experience with social robots. However, as the participants moved through the subsequent phases, a significant shift occurred.
The study's key findings reveal:
  • Live Interaction Boost: Interacting directly with the robot dramatically increased trust levels.
  • Programming Power: Programming the robot, even in a simplified manner, further enhanced trust.
  • Task-Specific Trust: Trust varied depending on the task, with participants more readily trusting the robot for cognitive tasks and assistance in danger as their awareness grew.
These results underscore the importance of hands-on experience in building trust. By actively engaging with the robot and understanding its capabilities firsthand, participants overcame their initial reservations and developed a more positive outlook. This transformation highlights the potential for increased robot acceptance as public awareness and understanding grow.

The Future of HRI: Building Relationships on Understanding

The research emphasizes that the more people know about a robot, the more they trust it. Overcoming initial skepticism requires providing opportunities for direct interaction and education. As AI and robotics continue to advance, fostering realistic expectations and transparent communication will be crucial for building strong, reliable human-robot relationships. Future research will explore how these relationships can be sustained over the long term, ensuring that robots become trusted partners in our increasingly automated world.

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