Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Robert D. Atkinson is a prominent technology policy researcher whose work centers on automation, robotics, productivity, and the economics of technological innovation. Best known for his influential analysis of labor markets and emerging technologies, Atkinson has consistently challenged alarmist narratives surrounding automation, arguing in widely read works like "Are Robots Taking Our Jobs, or Making Them?" (2013, 42 citations) that intelligent machines are more likely to complement human workers than displace them. His research spans the intersection of industrial policy and technological change, examining how nations adopt and benefit from robotic technologies, as evidenced by comparative studies such as "Which Nations Really Lead in Industrial Robot Adoption" (2018). Atkinson has also turned his lens toward Europe's productivity challenges, exploring how information and communication technologies can reinvigorate stagnating economies. His provocative "The Case Against Taxing Robots" (2019) further demonstrates his willingness to engage contentious policy debates with rigorous economic reasoning. Through his affiliation with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Atkinson has shaped public discourse on how societies can harness automation for broad prosperity rather than fear its consequences.