Still emerging, “social” robots, capable of interacting with humans, open up prospects for supporting the elderly or people with disabilities, in addition to – and not as a replacement – for human presence. To understand these possibilities, the High Authority for Health (HAS) has carried out a new prospective analysis of the health system which it is sending to the Government and Parliament. Goals ? Anticipate these challenges for responsible and ethical use of these devices.
So-called social robots are autonomous machines designed to interact with humans verbally or non-verbally. Driven by advances in artificial intelligence, their development – although it remains in its infancy and their reliability is limited – opens new perspectives for strengthening or maintaining the capabilities of elderly people.
or in a situation of disability, in complementarity with human interventions. They come in various forms with uses ranging from cognitive stimulation to practical help or the fight against isolation.
In a therapeutic setting, social robots can improve communication, be a source of calming or emotional support. Useful for reducing certain tasks, they can also generate new requirements for the professionals who work alongside them (maintenance, configuration, training, supervision) and can also affect the care relationship, or even give rise to identity concerns.
However, the results of these studies are difficult to consolidate: the evaluations remain heterogeneous, often focused on technical performance, and still insufficiently attentive to human and organizational impacts. The ethical issues are major: protection of sensitive data, risks linked to relational “deception”, excessive attachment or dependence, respect for dignity and autonomy. The ethics of care and the irreducible place of human presence must remain central.
At the same time, a rapidly expanding consumer market (home automation, conversational assistants, “companion” objects) is normalizing the presence of artificial assistants and could shape social expectations.
In a context of demographic aging, HAS has chosen to use three prospective scenarios to understand these challenges and set benchmarks for the responsible use of these objects, in the service of human connection.
- “Techno-managed” old age : massive adoption and standardization of the robotic presence, operational gain but high risks of technological dependence, commodification of care and loss of human connection.
- “From luxury to low end” : unequal technologies, social fragmentation, failing solutions for vulnerable groups, reinforced isolation.
- “Progressive and responsible introduction” : strong governance, transparent experimentation, taking into account the needs of users (people and professionals), equitable access, complementarity with professionals
This scenario-based method makes it possible to anticipate the possible uses of these robots, to identify the main risks and to highlight the choices to make or anticipate today. This note aims to help public decision-makers to better supervise the development of social robotics in the field of health and autonomy.
The analysis highlights that these systems already raise several major issues, whether ethical, organizational or technological. Assessment of real benefits, deployment conditions, data protection, training of professionals and support for users: all points of vigilance which must be taken into account to avoid misuse and limit inequalities of access.
“Social” robots: what are the challenges for tomorrow – Prospective analysis, HAS, May 2026
