Unpacking AI-powered versatile robotics for agile production: An interdisciplinary sociotechnical analysis

Background Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered versatile robotics can support agile manufacturing through adaptive task execution, multi-tasking, reconfiguration and continuous skill acquisition. However, successful deployment in industrial environments depends not only on technical performance, but also on workforce acceptance, trustworthy AI governance, interoperability with existing systems and compliance with evolving European requirements for safe and human-centric AI. This paper presents an interdisciplinary sociotechnical analysis of AI-powered versatile robotics for agile production, developed in the context of the Horizon Europe AGIMUS project. Methods A mixed-methods research design combined desk research, semi-structured interviews with 22 technical, industrial and ethics experts, industrial pilot case studies, and an online survey of 180 respondents from 16 European countries. The survey was conducted in March 2023. Given the rapid evolution of AI regulation, industrial robotics and generative AI-enabled human-robot interaction since then, the survey results are interpreted as a time-specific baseline rather than a real-time measurement of current market attitudes. Results The findings show that reliability, maintainability, increased accuracy, and adaptability were the most critical technical needs for industrial uptake, while technical robustness and safety, privacy and data governance, and transparency were comparatively difficult to achieve. Potential workforce resistance was associated primarily with job-security and role-identity concerns: fear of job loss, changes in work routines and perceived devaluation of human labour were stronger opposition factors than physical safety concerns. Acceptance measures receiving the strongest support included clear communication of operational changes, educational and training programmes, workforce-retention plans, and comprehensive briefing on the scope of robotics implementation. Conclusions The paper contributes a baseline framework for design, piloting and governance of trustworthy, human-centric, and industrially feasible robotic systems. Its practical value lies in combining technical requirements with ethical, organisational, and temporal interpretation criteria, supporting AGIMUS development and longitudinal assessment of AI-powered robotics adoption.