One in three not interested in technology

Despite the growing emphasis on science and information technology in the political arena, the subjects appear to interest Maltese citizens less than their European counterparts.

While on average just over one in five EU citizens (22%) is 'not at all interested' in scientific discoveries and technological developments, around a third of respondents take this position in Portugal (37%), Malta (34%), Ireland (33%) and the Czech Republic (32%).

In Malta, the proportion of the population that is 'not at all interested' in scientific discoveries and technological developments has increased by 12 points since 2010. 

Personal experience of robots is quite limited among both European and to a greater extent Maltese citizens. Only 1% of Maltese respondents compared to 6% of EU citizens have experience of the use of a robot at home and 3 percent of Maltese citizens compared to 6% have used or are currently using robots at work. 

Moreover, while 87% of EU citizens have never used a robot in their life, 95% of Maltese citizens have never used a robot.

In Europe experience with robots (at home, at work or somewhere else) is most widespread in Slovakia (20%), followed by Poland (19%), Slovenia, Italy (both 18%), Denmark and Finland (both 17%). 

For the use of robots in the home, Italy tops the list (14%), while Finland tops the list when it comes to personal experience of using robots at work (12%). The countries where personal experience of robots is least widespread are Greece, Bulgaria (both 2%), Cyprus (4%) and Malta (5%).

The proportion of EU citizens holding positive views about robots ranges from 54% in Greece and Malta to 88% in Denmark and Sweden. Negative views range from just 9% in Denmark to 44% in Greece.

This survey reveals a North-South divide when it comes to attitudes to robots, with EU citizens in the northern countries holding far more positive views than in the southern countries.

Like other southern Europeans - and when compared to their northern counterparts - the Maltese are also more likely to think  that robots steal people's jobs. 

The least likely to agree with the idea of robots taking people's jobs were the Dutch (51%) and Finland (55%). The highest percentage of those who think the opposite was found in Portugal (89%), followed by Spain (84%), Greece, Cyprus (both 83%) and Malta (82%).

But surprisingly, the Maltese were among the most willing to rely on robots for the care of children, elderly people and people with disabilities.  While only 49% of Maltese respondents would favour a ban on the use of robots to take care of children, the elderly and people with disabilities, 60% of European favour such a ban.

However, the Maltese were the most likely to feel uncomfortable with having a robot perform a surgical operation on them.

There are only four Member States where more than a third of citizens would feel comfortable  if a robot performed a medical operation on them: Poland, the Netherlands and Finland and the Czech Republic. The  survey shows that around eight in 10 citizens in Malta (81%), Lithuania (80%) and Latvia (79%) would feel uncomfortable in this situation.

Among 12 Member States, more than half of respondents say that they would feel comfortable if a robot assisted them at work, ranging from 52% in Belgium to 81% in Sweden. Close to half share this opinion in Lithuania (49%), Germany and the UK (both 48%).

At the opposite end of the scale, the survey shows that 54% of respondents in Romania would feel uncomfortable in this situation. This applies to nearly half the respondents in Cyprus (48%) and to just above two-fifths in Portugal and Malta (both 42%) and Greece (41%).

The image that EU citizens have of a robot is more likely to be that of an instrument-like machine than that of a human-like machine but in Malta, Cyprus, Spain and Bulgaria both correspond equally well to people's idea of robots.