Around 39% of the time spent cleaning up after oneself and taking care of family members might be automated within ten years, according to experts. Researchers from the UK and Japan consulted 65 experts in artificial intelligence (AI) to predict how much of everyday household work will be automated in the next decade. While caring for the young or elderly was anticipated to be the least likely to be affected by AI, experts said grocery shopping was likely to witness the most automation. Researchers discovered that male UK specialists tended to be more positive about household automation compared with their female counterparts, which is the reverse situation in Japan. “Only 28% of care work, including activities such as teaching your child, accompanying your child, or taking care of an older family member, is predicted to be automated,” stated Dr. Lulu Shi, postdoctoral researcher, Oxford Internet Institute. On the other side, technology was predicted to reduce 60% of the time we spend grocery shopping, experts added.

Yet forecasts that “in the next 10 years” robots will free us from household tasks have a long history, and some skepticism may be warranted. The promise of self-driving cars being on the roads and replacing taxis has been there for decades, according to associate professor Ekaterina Hertog. However, we have not quite been able to make robots function well, or these self-driving cars navigate the unpredictable environment of our streets. Further research shows that domestic automation could reduce the amount of time spent on unpaid household chores. Technology, though, may be pricey. A rise in time inequality will result if systems to help with housework are only affordable to a portion of society.