Robot culture: Are machines developing their own traditions?
While the idea of robot cultures remains nascent, the authors argue that its recognition is crucial for the ethical integration of robots into society. They envision a future where robots with advanced cognitive abilities could manifest culture under the robot community framework, raising new challenges for ethical design and regulation.

The question of whether robots can develop their own culture, independent of human influence, is a compelling frontier in robotics research. In their groundbreaking study, “A Culture of Their Own? Culture in Robot-Robot Interaction”, Masoumeh Mansouri and Henry Taylor, published in AI & Soc (2024), delve into this very idea.
By proposing a conceptual framework for understanding culture in robot-robot interactions (RRI), the authors explore how robots might manifest cultural behaviors and examine the profound ethical and legal implications of these phenomena. Their findings suggest that some groups of robots already exhibit traits that could be classified as culture under certain definitions, raising intriguing questions about the future of robotics.
Moving beyond human-robot interaction
Traditional robotics research has primarily focused on human-robot interaction (HRI), aiming to design robots that conform to human cultural norms and societal expectations. This includes robots adapting to human preferences in personal space, communication styles, and cultural rituals. However, Mansouri and Taylor shift the focus to explore interactions among robots themselves. Their study investigates whether robots, when operating in autonomous groups, can develop their own forms of culture, independent of human influence.
This question challenges long-held assumptions about culture as a purely human construct and opens up a new area of inquiry within cultural robotics. The authors argue that the ability of robots to manifest culture depends on how "culture" is defined, proposing four distinct frameworks for interpretation:
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Robot Community Culture: Requires robots to demonstrate complex cognitive traits, such as self-reflection, consciousness, and self-awareness, akin to human cultural norms and practices.
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Comparative Biology Culture: Focuses on behaviors learned through social interactions, similar to how animal groups, such as chimpanzees or ants, pass on traditions and behaviors.
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Process/Emergent Culture: Highlights the dynamic, evolving nature of culture as it emerges from aggregate social interactions over time.
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Structure/Pattern Culture: Defines culture as distinctive patterns of behavior or practices within a group, irrespective of learning or evolution.
By applying these definitions, the authors argue that robots can manifest culture to varying degrees, depending on their interactions and functional design.
Case studies: Where culture emerges in robotics
Case Study 1: Multi-Robot Coverage
The first case study involves swarm robotics, a field where multiple robots collaborate to maximize sensor coverage in environments such as cleaning, exploration, or surveillance. These robots, inspired by insect behavior, communicate and adapt using simple markers, similar to ants leaving pheromone trails. Over time, their interactions result in emergent behaviors and organized coverage patterns, allowing them to effectively divide territories without human intervention.
Under the comparative biology framework, these robots exhibit culture by learning and adapting behaviors through social interaction. The process/emergent framework also applies, as their culture evolves dynamically through their ongoing interactions. Lastly, their distinct group behaviors align with the structure/pattern definition of culture. However, they do not meet the criteria for robot community culture, as they lack the cognitive sophistication required for self-reflection and consciousness.
Case Study 2: Multi-Robot Coordination in Warehouses
The second case study examines robots used in warehouse logistics, where they autonomously transport objects within a structured grid. Unlike swarm robots, these systems rely on pre-programmed algorithms to coordinate tasks and avoid collisions. Their behaviors, while efficient and well-structured, are less dynamic and do not involve social learning or emergent patterns.
These robots align with the structure/pattern definition of culture, as their coordination creates distinctive operational behaviors. However, they do not fit the comparative biology or process/emergent frameworks due to the lack of interaction-driven learning or dynamic evolution. Similarly, they do not meet the criteria for robot community culture, as their behaviors are strictly deterministic and pre-defined.
Ethical and legal implications
The study raises profound ethical and legal questions about the recognition of robot cultures. If robots can develop culture, should they be afforded rights or legal protections similar to those given to human cultural groups? Mansouri and Taylor suggest a nuanced approach, where the recognition of robot culture depends on the sophistication and relevance of the behaviors exhibited. For example, simple operational patterns in warehouse robots may not warrant cultural rights, but more complex behaviors in future autonomous systems might.
The concept of multicultural exchange also emerges, emphasizing how robot cultures can influence and be influenced by human cultures. In warehouse settings, for instance, the efficiency-driven "culture" of robots has reshaped human workflows, demanding faster work rates from employees. This interplay between robot and human cultures highlights the need for ethical frameworks that account for mutual influence.
A vision for the future
While the idea of robot cultures remains nascent, the authors argue that its recognition is crucial for the ethical integration of robots into society. They envision a future where robots with advanced cognitive abilities could manifest culture under the robot community framework, raising new challenges for ethical design and regulation.
Moreover, their study underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between roboticists, ethicists, and policymakers. By addressing the ethical and legal implications of robot cultures, researchers can ensure that robotics technology aligns with human values and societal needs.
- FIRST PUBLISHED IN:
- Devdiscourse