If a federal agency that oversees robots sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie, or brings to mind the premise behind 2004’s I, Robot, then we may be well on our way to life imitating art once again.

According to the Brookings Institution, which released a report on how robots are viewed, a majority (60%) of those surveyed reported being uncomfortable with robots, while more than half (52%) stated the expectation that robots will take over human activity in the next thirty years.  

Additionally, the report found that 32% of those surveyed were in favour of the US government establishing a Federal Robotics Commission to regulate how robots are used and developed. 29% were not in favour, while the majority (39%) were uncertain.

Worth mentioning though is that these are lifelike or humanoid robots, rather than those found on a factory floor. As to how robots should be used, of those who are receptive to their use, 20% desired a robot that would clean their house, while 17% thought robots were a good idea for home security.

The lowest ranked use for a robot? Caring for an aging relative or child. Perhaps because of that scene in I, Robot, where the newly updated robotic assistant turns on Will Smith’s grandmother.