Please review my IELTS task 2 essay

The fact that robots do the basic serving functions in the entertainment, leisure and retail sectors of the economy is a positive development.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Robots are being increasingly implemented in many frontline services in hospitality, leisure and retail industries, from waiter robots in restaurants to robotic concierges in hotels, and many people are of the belief that this is a beneficial trend. I largely disagree with such a view.

On the one hand, the implementation of robotics to serve customers can have several benefits. First, it may reduce business operational costs by removing employees’ salaries and insurance. some waiter robots, for example, have an average price of around 6000 USD, below the average yearly salary of hospitality workers in China. Second, robots can work better than humans in terms of accuracy and consistency, and will never get tired, bored, or need breaks or holidays - they can be operational 24 hours a day. This is most effective in certain jobs such as cashiers and overnight grocery clerks. Third, some developed nations, which face an increased proportion of elderly citizens and falling birth rates, can utilize robots to fulfill the growth in service demand. Finally, automation can free employees from repetitive, monotonous and unskilled tasks, enabling them to focus on more complex tasks that require problem-solving skills or emotional intelligence.

On the other hand, such technological deployment also has many adverse ramifications. In fact, robots are unlikely to react to unanticipated situations, which are inevitable in service jobs. To illustrate, without being previously programmed, a robot is unable to handle customers’ complaints about the food served or poor-condition products. In addition, robots that can run smoothly in such conditions are costly, and if they malfunction, not only does it halt the business operation, but also requires expensive maintenance services. This may offset the reduced expense of not hiring employees. More importantly, as some hospitality workers, which are usually unskilled, lose their jobs to robotics, these people tend to struggle to find other occupations and stay in long-term unemployment. This can lead to economic collapse due to decreased disposable income, and social upheavals such as strikes and an increasing crime rate.

In conclusion, although service automation in recreation and retail sectors can mean cost reduction, operational enhancement, mitigating labor shortage and alleviating monotonous tasks, it is more likely to be counterproductive - impede business operation and adverse economic – and increase unemployment, which outweigh the benefits associated.