Robot cops on patrol: police officers' perceived effectiveness of AI-powered humanoid robots

Purpose The main purpose of the study is to examine how organizational justice, artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and perceived risks shape officers' attitudes toward AI-powered service and crime-fighting robots. Design/methodology/approach This study used survey data collected from 959 police officers in a major metropolitan area in Southwestern China. Two regression models were estimated to analyze correlates of police officers' perceived effectiveness of service and crime-fighting AI robots. Findings Results show that supervisor support for AI is a strong and consistent predictor of positive attitudes toward AI-powered robots, whereas supervisor justice is negatively associated with AI acceptance. AI training and AI knowledge also significantly enhance perceived effectiveness of AI tools, underscoring the saliency of technological familiarity. Perceived risks play a more limited and task-specific role. Originality/value The present study is among the first attempts to assess police officers' attitudes toward the application of AI in policing. This study provides evidence-based recommendations for the ethical and effective integration of AI into law enforcement practices.