Cobots as Workforce Partners: Overcoming Barriers Through Policy Opportunities
本文论证了协作机器人（cobots）能补充而非替代劳动力，并提出了通过政策激励、培训支持和隐私保护等措施，在提升生产率的同时保障就业和工人安全的路径。
ABSTRACT Substitution of capital in the form of automation and robotics has displaced many American manufacturing workers, especially those without college degrees. However, this need not be the path forward. We argue that now is an opportune time for greater policy emphasis on collaborative robots, or “cobots,” which are designed to complement rather than replace manual labor while raising productivity. To realize this potential, policies must properly align incentives, support training, and address often overlooked issues such as monitoring and privacy. Through an interdisciplinary lens, we examine the current state of cobot deployment and describe how well‐designed job tasks, paired with carefully integrated cobots, can preserve employment opportunities while improving ergonomics and enhancing productivity. Strategic policy measures aimed at redirecting investments can balance manufacturers' needs while ensuring stable employment, higher wages, and safer workplaces. With informed and deliberate policy, the adoption of cobots can mark a new phase of technological progress while averting the costly dislocations that accompanied past automation and offshoring.