Robots are more prevalent in daily life than ever before. Digital assistants control smartphone apps, while physical bots teach students in schools, sanitize hospitals and deliver food. Scientists have long been studying human-robot interactions to learn how these machines can influence individuals’ behavior, such as altering how well someone completes a task or responds to a robotic request. But new research shows the presence and actions of robots also affect the way humans relate to other humans—in this case, swaying team members to communicate better.
