Not content with asking bots to tell them the weather or book them an Uber, people are also turning to AI to test out their chat up lines. Virtual assistants like Amazon’s Alexa are spending a significant amount of time dodging advances, attempting to nip digital sexual harassment in the bud.

Toyota has created a pint-sized robot that will chat with its owners and gradually learn about them, mimicking the organic progression of real human relationships. The Kirobo Mini is pushing people to rethink the value of robotics, shifting from objective functions to social companionship.

As our lives become more automated, the consumer robotics industry is only set to grow. But something is holding the market back – people find it difficult to trust these machines, especially in their homes and offices. Why do they make us uneasy, and what will convince people to trust robots?

While the immediate future is unlikely to yield AI pseudo-human carers, the notion of robots aiding the elderly is closer than ever. All over the world – especially in Japan, where more than a quarter of the population is over 65 – technology and healthcare are starting to overlap.