Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists

Series on Engineering Sciences

ISSN 2066-6950

Volume 18, Number 1/2026

128

ROBOTS AS CULTURAL PRODUCTS: FILM

AS A DRIVER OF PERCEPTION, INNOVATION,

AND TECHNOLOGICAL MARKETING

Larisa IVASCU¹, Nicoleta MIREA², Ben-Oni ARDELEAN³,

Simona RUS⁴, Marius PISLARU⁵

Rezumat. Lucrarea analizează modul în care produsele culturale, filmele, au influențat

evoluția tehnologiei robotice și unele direcții economice, de la Metropolis (1927) până la

Atlas (2024). Studiul folosește metode de analiză istorică și indicatori de percepție publică

precum succesul la box office, receptarea critică și circulația imaginilor robotice în cultura

populară, completate de cercetări academice secundare. Rezultatele arată că filme ca

Metropolis și Matrix au anticipat discuțiile despre autonomie și etica inteligenței

artificiale, influențând totodată așteptările sociale privind roboții. Simboluri culturale

precum droizii din Star Wars sau roboții din Terminator au contribuit la extinderea piețelor

din electronice, securitate și automatizare. Producțiile recente, precum M3GAN (2023) și

Atlas (2024), evidențiază interesul reînnoit pentru inteligența artificială și roboții sociali.

Concluziile indică faptul că filmul continuă să stimuleze imaginația tehnologică, să

influențeze dinamica piețelor și să susțină reflecția etică asupra tehnologiilor emergente.

Abstract. This paper examines how the cultural products, the films, depiction of robots

affected the technology of robotics and economic growth from Metropolis of 1927 to Atlas

of 2024. Using historical analysis methods, public perception is based on box office

success, critical reception, and the dissemination of robotic images in popular culture, as

well as secondary academic studies. Metropolis and Matrix anticipate debates on

autonomy and AI ethics and shape also social expectations about robotics. Furthermore,

cultural symbols such as Star Wars droids and Terminators have stimulated market growth

in consumer electronics, security, and automation. Recent films, such as M3GAN (2023)

and Atlas (2024), demonstrate the renewed interest in artificial intelligence and social

robots. Research shows that films continue to stimulate technology imagination, influence

market dynamics, and promote ethical consciousness

.

¹Prof., Ph.D., Eng., Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation, Politehnica

University of Timisoara, Management Department, 14 Remus Street, Timisoara, Romania,

(larisa.ivascu@upt.ro); Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov, 050044, Bucharest, Romania.

²Ph.D., Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation, Politehnica University of

Timisoara,

Management

Department,

14

Remus

Street,

Timisoara,

Romania,

(nicoleta.mirea@student.upt.ro).

³Assoc. prof., Ph.D., Faculty of Baptist Theology, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania,

Academy of the Romanian Scientists (benardelean@gmail.com).

⁴Ph.D., Research Center for Engineering and Management, Management Department, Politehnica

University of Timisoara, Management Department, 14 Remus Street, Timisoara, Romania,

(simona_rus@yahoo.com).

⁵Prof., PhD, Eng., Faculty of Industrial Design and Business Management, „Gheorghe Asachi”

Technical University of Iasi, Iasi, Romania (marius.pislaru@academic.tuiasi.ro).

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

129

Keywords: Cinematic robots, science fiction and innovation, AI perception and ethics, engineering

and economics of film, technological imaginaries

DOI

10.56082/annalsarscieng.2026.1.128

1. Introduction

Robot representations in literature and cinema have long been a laboratory

of ideas for technological innovation and cultural reflection. Authors such as Isaac

Asimov [1], [2], Philip K. Dick [3], [4], and Stanislaw Lem [5], [6] were pioneers

of a narrative framework in which artificial beings become agents of ethical

dilemmas, social fears, and human desires. As literary critics such as Kalvikkarasi

(2019) have argued, Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Dick’s fiction

has long been associated with questions about what makes someone “human,” and

the study cited in [7] notes that he often approaches this topic through layered

metaphors rather than direct arguments. Figure 1 presents cultural and dynamics

representation of robots in film.

Fig. 1. Robot representation in cinema (1924-2024) (author’s original contribution)

130

Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

For conceptual clarity, we synthesize the ideas through the figure above,

which visually organizes the main relationships between the themes. Cinema is a

major echo and intensify public hopes and fears about these technologies [10]. By

placing film studies alongside technological history and economic analysis, the pa-

per aims to show how visual media can act as one of the forces that push robotics

forward, socially, imaginatively, and commercially.

2.

Material and methods

This study combines historical analysis methods with elements of cultural

economic analysis. The research centre consists of a selection of films that formed

the public's perception of robots and artificial intelligence between 1927 and 2024.

Films included a number of criteria: i) historical relevance, productions that

introduce an innovative representation of robots or AIs; ii) technological

resonances, films that influence robotic research or inspire the application of

technology in the real world; and iii) economic effects, productions that have

measurable commercial success (e.g. box office results, sales revenues) or indirect

effects on technology-driven markets. The analysis was carried out in the following

three stages. Step 1: Review of literature and film studies, identification of key

academic contributions to science fiction research, technology history, and cultural

economics [11] - [13]. Authors such as Isaac Asimov [1] and Philip K. Dick [4]

were included because of their literary influence and provided the basis for later

film interpretations (I, Robot, and Blade Runner). Step 2: Notes on historical

context, including an examination of historic films related to robotics and AI

discourses of their time (Metropolis, Forbidden Planet, Star Wars, The Matrix,

M3GAN, etc.), supported by academic references and market data [14], [15]. In the

last third step, we include a review that makes a comparison and examines two

major directions. First, we studied the technological impact of selected films. The

encouraged developments in areas such as robotics research, AI safety, virtual

reality/AR environment, or various forms of social robotics. Second, for indicators

such as box office performance, commercial spin-offs, consumer electronics trends,

medical automation applications, and even the emergence of green technology

products, we considered their economic footprints. Since public perception cannot

be measured directly, the study relies on a number of secondary markers. These

include box office results, industry analysis, and critical criticism, all of which are

considered indirect signals of the appeal of a film to audiences [19], [20]. An

interdisciplinary perspective that links cultural expression to technological change

and economic dynamics.

2.1.

Industrial robotics revolution

After a period of relative technological stagnation, the robotics is in a

transformation phase. For almost half a century, industrial robots have been mainly

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

131

limited to pre-programmed repetitive tasks such as welding, painting, and assembly.

These systems lack adaptability and work in strictly controlled environments with

a minimal ability to react to disturbances. However, progress in the last five years

has accelerated the development of general-purpose robots, especially transformer

architectures, foundation models, advanced artificial intelligence, and robotic

actuators, capable of performing various functions in various industries [21]–[23].

A key indicator of this change is the dramatic reduction in the humanoid platform

development cycle [24], [25].

Although the initial prototypes took decades to achieve operational

feasibility, the latest companies were able to design and deploy new human or semi-

human platforms within one year. This acceleration suggests that technological

convergence, not a single breakthrough, is a real catalyst of change. In fact, the

industrial landscape is witnessing the development of mobile manipulators,

combined with mobility and specialised robotic weapons, along with experimental

bipedal robots developed for human environments. These systems indicate a change

away from isolated ‘caged’ robots to collaborative robotics in which humans and

machines share offices in manufacturing, logistics, agriculture, and health care [24],

[26] - [30]. Several case studies already show that robots are being used in hospitals

to transport instruments and materials, or in agriculture to assist with harvesting—

applications that go well beyond the industrial roles once typical of automation

[31]–[33]. This expansion brings new challenges, also. It means that managing

unexpected failures, such as sudden power losses (or preventing collisions in spaces

shared by people and machines), makes safety a powerful concern.

Cybersecurity introduces, at the same time, a dimension of risk, because the

network-connected robots can become vulnerable to unauthorized access or data

breaches [34]. On the technical side, building hardware that matches the fine

dexterity of the human hand is still a major obstacle. Methodological issues also

appear because large, high-quality datasets for training robotics foundation models

are still scarce. Researchers are testing several approaches, from torque-sensitive

sensors for assembly tasks to synthetic data generation techniques, in an attempt to

fill these gaps [35], [36]. Bringing advanced robots into real work environments has

organizational consequences as well. Companies need to rethink staff training, align

robotics with existing IT infrastructure, and deal with the wider effects of

automation on workflow. As Kelkar (2025) points out, the growing demand for

specialists in robotics, programming, and maintenance will likely sharpen

competition for skilled personnel, making human expertise as critical as the

technology itself [37]. Seen from this perspective, the discussion gives

methodological support to our study by placing the cinematic influence within the

broader historical and practical development of robotics. It underlines how cultural

imagery and industrial innovation have often shaped each other’s direction.

132

Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

2.2. Industrial robotics: State-of-the-art and methodological anchoring

Robotics has progressed so rapidly in recent years that the field hardly

resembles its earlier stages. What began as a series of small, tightly supervised pilot

projects has turned into a much broader and more deeply embedded industrial

practice. Ani Kelkar’s 2025 analysis (McKinsey, Boston office) notes that robots

are no longer restricted to labs or test sites; they are increasingly woven into

everyday routines on the shop floor, reshaping how companies operate and how

employees organise their work [37]. Figure 2, based on McKinsey’s findings,

sketches several facets of this shift. One visible change is the move from limited

pilots to full-scale deployment. Many companies are no longer merely

“experimenting” with robots but implementing them across entire production lines

in search of more stable performance, lower long-term costs, and more predictable

returns. The overlap of several technologies, cloud infrastructure, AI-based tools, a

variety of sensors, and analytics platforms suggests a key trend. We think that these

enable robots to adapt more easily in combination with the workplaces that are

continually being reconfigured. There is also a clear move into sectors that have,

until recently, been slower to integrate robotics.

Fig. 2. Kelkar’s (2025) five key dimensions of industrial robotics

In logistics, the use of robots has expanded quickly. Many warehouses now

depend on mobile units for routine transport tasks, which helps reduce errors and

takes some pressure off human staff. Hospitals are following a similar trajectory by

using service robots for simple internal operations, while agriculture is

experimenting with automated machines that can react to seasonal changes or

weather conditions. Yet none of these developments unfolds smoothly by default.

Companies must reorganise certain roles, invest in new training staff, and verify

whether legacy IT systems can reliably support these robotic tools without frequent

disruptions. We think that the questions of safety and regulation are becoming more

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

133

pressing also. Because robots are connected to broader networks, the probability of

cyber intrusions rises, so the security problem cannot be postponed. We believe that

the workplace safety rules and guidelines for human–robot collaboration need

regular revision. The technology may outrun otherwise the frameworks intended to

keep it safe and ethically acceptable.

To sum up, robotics implementation is a multidimensional intelligent

process that specifically integrates technology, human capital, and regulatory

ecosystems. This panorama offers (besides a methodological anchor for

understanding the tangential dynamics of robotics) a strong link to cultural and

cinematographic representations of industrial adoption. These studies connect

fictional visions to concrete economic changes and underscore the dual role of

robots as symbols in science fiction and as operational agents in contemporary

industries.

3. Discussion and results

3.1. Cinematic landmarks up to 2023

The representation of the historical trajectory of robots in film shows a

continuous dialogue between cultural imagination and technological progress.

From the silent era of Metropolis (1927) to Matrix's cyberpunk vision (1999),

movies entertained the public and functioned as a speculative laboratory in which

society projected its desires and concerns for intelligent machines. The emergence

of broader technology paradigms such as automation, personal computers, and the

Internet has helped mark each milestone of cinema as a mirror, sometimes a catalyst

for innovation. The selected films up to 2023 (see Table 1) show how repeated

reasons, the autonomy of robots, the coexistence of humans and machines, and

ethical dilemmas developed in parallel with the research on real-world robotics.

These representations have shaped the vocabulary of public discourse, inspiring not

only academic debates but also commercial enterprises in the fields of electronics,

health care, and security. Importantly, film narratives create cultural readiness: long

before technology can catch up with the idea of intelligent machines, the idea of

intelligent machines is familiar to audiences.

Table 1. Impact of robotics technology development up to 2023 (author’s original contribution)

No. Year

Film /

Series

Impact on robotics

technology

Impact on economic

growth

Notes

development

1

1927 Metropolis

Introduced the first

iconic cinematic robot,

Maria, shaping the

idea of humanoid

androids and inspiring

future robotic designs.

Raised early ethical

Helped establish the

sci-fi film industry,

creating a profitable

new genre and

stimulating the

market for futuristic-

themed films.

Pioneering

work linking

robots with

social and

political

commentary.

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Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

questions about

artificial beings.

2

3

1956

1968

Forbidden

Planet

Robby the Robot is

presented as the first

robot with a distinct

personality,

influencing the design

of friendly, assistive

robotics.

HAL 9000 introduced

the concept of an

antagonist AI,

highlighting risks of

autonomous decision

making and

Increased revenues in

the toy and consumer

electronics markets,

while demonstrating

the profitability of

AI-inspired

Robby became

a cultural icon,

reproduced as

toys and

collectibles.

entertainment.

Commercial and

critical success,

2001: A

Space

Odyssey

Noted for

groundbreaking

special effects

and realism.

contributing to the

growth of realistic

sci-fi cinema; spurred

the smart devices and

computing market

through cultural

inspiration.

influencing research

on AI safety.

4

1977

Star Wars

(Saga)

C-3PO and R2-D2

popularised interactive

robots capable of

emotions and social

bonds.

Generated billions in

merchandising and

licencing, creating

one of the most

profitable franchises

in history; stimulated

the entertainment

robotics and

Star Wars

reshaped global

pop culture and

created long-

term economic

ecosystems.

consumer electronics

industries.

5

6

1984

The

Terminator

The T-800 popularised

the image of advanced

androids and the

The blockbuster

success that

influenced the growth

of the sci-fi industry

and inspired

Contributed to

ethical debates

about AI

dangers of

autonomy.

autonomous robots,

influencing military

robotics and AI ethics.

investments in

surveillance, security,

and military robotics.

Revitalised the sci-fi

industry; boosted the

gaming and VR

sectors, leading to

long-term market

expansion in digital

entertainment

1999 The Matrix

Explored virtual

reality and machine

dominance, sparking

new research in VR,

simulations, and AI

systems.

VR established

as a main

cultural

concept.

and

education.

7

2008

WALL-E

Robots are depicted as

environmental

stewards, promoting

research into

Strengthened the eco-

tech market and

educational robotics;

inspired products

Combined

entertainment

with a strong

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

135

autonomous

environmental robotics

and assistive

technologies.

Explored AI

consciousness and

human–robot

promoting

sustainability and

ecological

message.

expanding the green

technology economy.

Increased public and

investor interest in AI

ethics and security,

stimulating the IT

sector and ethical AI

research funding.

8

9

2015

2023

Ex

Machina

Acclaimed for

its

philosophical

depth on AI

consciousness.

interaction,

intensifying ethical

debates in HCI and

advanced robotics.

Robots depicted as

emotionally

interactive, shaping

research in social

robotics and AI-based

care.

M3GAN

Achieved global

commercial success,

boosting investments

in personal robotic

assistants with

Reflected

public anxieties

and fascination

with child-like

AI

applications in

companions.

healthcare,

caregiving, and

domestic use.

By organising this discussion around key films, Table 1 provides a broad

overview of films that are cultural landmarks and that simultaneously influence

public perception and technological aspirations. This allows a diachronic view of

the interaction between fiction and innovation and opens the way for a more

specialised analysis of recent developments after 2023 (see Table 2).

3.2. Recent developments. 2024 analysis

The following films from Table 2 demonstrate how the artistic imagination

of robotics inspired technological innovation, but also their economic significance

is remarkable. In addition to storytelling and speculative design, robotic

cinematography has created profitable franchises, opened new markets, and

accelerated public acceptance of new technologies.

Table 2. Impact of recent development of robotic technology (2024) (author’s original contribution)

Impact on robotics

Impact on economic

No. Year

Film / Series

Subservience

technology

development

Notes

growth

Explores the

consciousness and

emotional

attachment of an

android, influencing

research on

Due to the modest

box-office

performance, the

economic impact

remains limited.

Reflects current

fears about

emotional AI.

10

2024

personal assistance

136

Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

and emotional

robotics.

Depicts humanoid

robots (ARCs)

controlled through a

neural interface,

inspiring

discussions on

teleoperation and

collaborative AI.

Returns to the Art

Deco-inspired

design of robots,

revitalising interest

in robot-centric

animation and

aesthetic robotic

design.

Presents a robot-

centric sci-fi

animation, and,

despite poor

reception, it

introduces the

artistic theme of

robots as parental

figures.

Explores the theme

of a robot adapting

to nature and

assuming a parental

role, suggesting

emotional pathways

in the design of

companion robots.

Despite its potential,

the lack of

commercial success

restricted its

influence on the

military and

entertainment

Focusses on

human versus AI

conflicts.

11

2024

Atlas

simulation markets.

The relatively

modest gross of

~129 million USD

may limit hidden

investments, yet it

remains attractive for

merchandising.

Evokes nostalgia

and retro-

futuristic design.

Transformers

One

12

13

14

The commercial

impact remains

unknown and is

likely negligible.

Where the

Robots Grow

(IMDb)

Primarily relevant

to cultural

2024

influence.

Successful animated

film, with potential

to stimulate

educational

industries and eco-

robotics products.

Critically

The Wild

Robot

acclaimed and

considered an

Oscar contender.

2024

The following section examines these economic effects in greater detail,

highlighting direct revenues such as box office revenues and retail, as well as

indirect effects on technology-orientated industries.

3.3. Economic effects of cinematics robotics

2024's film productions show the ever more complex relationship between

cultural imagination and technological reality. These films do not function as an

isolated artistic expression but reflect ongoing debates in engineering, robotics, and

artificial intelligence and provide a future of technology. This reciprocal influence

can be described as a mirror effect, in which cinema and engineering continuously

form each other. From an engineering point of view, the positive trajectory of works

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

137

such as the Wild Robot, which promotes ecological robotics and adaptive systems,

is evident. This coincides with ongoing research on sustainable design and

biomimetic engineering and shows how cultural narrations can legitimise new areas

of technical exploration.

Likewise, obedience is the subject of emotions, robotics, and human-

machine connection, aligned with current advances in social robotics and

companion devices. In this sense, film imaginaries provide engineers with a cultural

framework to standardise concepts before they become technically feasible. At the

same time, the 2024 films demonstrate the limits of cultural influence. Commercial

failures in titles such as Atlas and Robot Grow show that the public's interest in

robotic stories is not unconditional.

This shows that not all speculative designs meet social expectations or

technological plausibility. An observation of the saturation effect is that the public

is increasingly critical of how robotics and artificial intelligence are presented,

particularly since these technologies are now part of everyday life. Consequently,

engineering innovation cannot be based solely on cultural passion; it must also

address public concerns about feasibility, utility, and ethics. It is also necessary to

emphasise the negative aspects.

Films such as Subservience express fears about emotionally manipulative

robots, and these fears are also reflected in real-world research on human-robot

interactions.

Today's engineers are not only responsible for improving mechanical

efficiency or algorithmic power, but also for reducing the risk of dependence,

manipulation, and unsafe deployment (see Fig. 3). Similarly, Atlas' failure to

capture the public's imagination indicates that unrealistic representations of neural

control systems may undermine trust in real engineering projects.

Fig. 8. Opportunities for cost reduction (adaptation from RethinkX's 2024 analysis)

(https://www.rethinkx.ai/)

138

Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

Case studies from 2024 confirmed that cinematic robotics exerts positive

and negative pressure on engineering practice [38], [39]. Films that capture social

aspirations can stimulate investment, research routes, and political debate, but

commercially unsuccessful films emphasise the need to ground cultural

imaginations in technical reality. For both engineers and policymakers, the film's

reflection effect becomes an invaluable diagnostic tool: it reveals which robotic

visions get legitimacy and which are resisted by public perception.

3.4. Cinematic robots engineering and economic forecasts outlook

Recent forecasts (see Fig. 4 and Table 3) indicate that film robotics is

entering an exponential growth phase, with clear effects on engineering practice

and economic expansion. The forecasts listed in Table 3 show the projected growth

of cinema robotics and adjacent markets between 2024 and 2033. These values are

extracted from recent market intelligence reports and represent consolidated market

size, growth rates, and sectoral dynamics estimates. In Table 4 the bibliographical

support for these predictions to ensure transparency and academic rigour, including

sources, access links, and methodological notes. Table 3 serves as a synthesis of the

results and Table 4 describes the evidence on which these predictions are based.

Fig. 9. Engineering and economic forecasts (author’s work contribution, Dataintelo)

Market research estimates that global robotics in the entertainment industry

will grow from $3.5 billion by 2023 to $9.7 billion by 2032, reflecting an annual

growth rate of about 12.5%. This trend highlights the role of automation and

robotics in reducing operational costs and expanding creative opportunities and

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

139

production. Robotic weapons for film production illustrate this transformation. The

market is expected to exceed $ 2.27 billion in 2024 and will triple by 2033, with an

annual growth rate of 13.8%, confirming the technical significance of robotic

motion control in studio environments. Similarly, robot camera systems are

estimated to have 186 billion dollars in 2024 and are expected to grow steadily to

about 310 billion dollars in 2032, with a 6.7% CAGR¹. All of these forecasts

indicate that robotics will essentially change the economy of film production by

improving accuracy, reliability, and scalability, and the reduced production costs

will also allow access to advanced film technologies. Independent filmmakers aim

to achieve results previously achieved only by large studios. At the same time,

established players will be able to reinvest savings in creative development, digital

infrastructure, and global market expansion.

Table 3. Forecasts on cinematic robotics and adjacent markets (2024–2033) (author’s work

contribution)

Projected

value (2030–

Market value

(2023/2024)

Segment

CAGR

Source

2033)

Robotics in

entertainment

(global)

Robotic arms for

filmmaking

USD 3.5 billion

(2023)

USD 9.7

billion (2032)

DataIntelo,

2024

~12.5%

~13.8%

~6.7%

USD 1.27 billion

(2024)

USD 4.14

billion (2033)

USD 310

million

(2032 est.)

Growth Market

Reports, 2024

Robotic camera

systems

USD 186 million

(2024)

Intel Market

Research, 2024

Industrial

robotics (general)

Global robotics

market (all

~10.5%

(2024–2030)

Grand View

Research, 2024

Mordor

Intelligence,

2024

-

USD 185.4

billion

(2030 est.)

USD 73.6 billion

(2025 est.)

~20–21%

sectors)

Note: The forecast data are supported by recent market research reports (see Table 4 for

bibliographic sources).

All of these forecasts indicate that robotics will essentially change the

economy of film production by improving accuracy, reliability, and scalability, and

the reduced production costs will also allow access to advanced film technologies.

Independent filmmakers aim to achieve results previously achieved only by large

studios. At the same time, established players will be able to reinvest savings in

creative development, digital infrastructure, and global market expansion.

¹CAGR explanation: CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) indicates the average annual rate at

which a market grows over a specific period, expressed as if the growth occurred at a constant rate

every year. It smooths out short-term fluctuations and highlights long-term trends.

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Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

Table 4. Bibliographic table support for forecasts (author’s work contribution)

Type of

source

Notes on

reliability

Segment

Source

Data provided

Market size

~USD 3.5 billion

dollars (2023),

projected ~USD

9.7 billion (2032),

CAGR ~12.5%

Market value

~USD 1.27 billion

(2024), projected

~USD 4.14 billion

(2033), CAGR

~13.8%

Provides

DataIntelo (2024),

Robotics in

Entertainment

Market Research

Report 2033 link

consistent long-

term forecast;

widely cited in

industry, but

commercial

Market

research

report

Robotics in

Entertainment

Growth Market

Reports (2024),

Robot Arm for

Filmmaking Market

Outlook 2033 link

Strong

Robot Arms

for

Filmmaking

Market

research

report

relevance for

engineering;

based on global

industry survey

Market value

~USD 186

million US $

(2024), projected

~USD 297

Intel Market

Research (2025),

Robotic Camera

Systems Market

Outlook 2025–2032

link

Niche segment;

confirms

precision

engineering

adoption

Robotic

Camera

Systems

Market

research

report

million (2032),

CAGR ~6.7%

DataIntelo (2024),

Commercial

Entertainment

Robots Market

Outlook 2025–2033

link

Complements

robotics in

entertainment,

focus on

interactive/cons

umer robots

Commercial

Entertainment

Robots

Projected CAGR

~15.8% (2025–

2033)

Market

research

report

Grand View

Covers

industrial

robotics

broadly; not

limited to

entertainment

Research (2024),

Industrial Robotics

Industry

Procurement

Intelligence Report

link

Industrial

Robotics

(general)

CAGR ~10.5%

(2024–2030)

Market

intelligence

Market size

~USD 73.6 billion

(2025 est.), ~USD

185.4 billion

(2030 est.),

CAGR ~20–21%

Broad scope;

gives context to

entertainment

robotics within

robotics as a

whole

Global

Robotics

Market

Mordor Intelligence

(2024), Robotics

Market Report link

Market

research

report

From an engineering point of view, the convergence of robotics and artificial

intelligence, sensor technologies, and virtual production environments will signal a

new paradigm: film robotics will become a technological facilitator and economic

driver. But challenges such as high initial investment, shortages of qualified

operators, regulatory gaps, and the risk of public scepticism toward excessive

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

141

automation remain, and the strategic implications are clear: organisations, regions,

and economies that use film robotics early will gain competitive advantages in the

global entertainment ecosystem. Those who delay may face the extinction of the

industry, where technological capacity is increasingly determining both artistic

vision and commercial success.

4. Conceptual and economic modeling

For conceptual modeling, Concept Map, a feature of the MindManager

program, was used. Social perceptions, stimulated innovations, robotics,

investments, affected industries are areas that require interconnection for a

comprehensive approach to the influence in the cinema-technology-economy

couple. Economic impact defined by markets, investments, affected industries is an

important component and must be evaluated in this couple. Figure 5 shows the

conceptual modeling of the cinema-technology-economy relationship. There are

three important nodes: cinema, technology, and economy. The relationships

between these areas are bidirectional and are characterized by the sub-nodes of

each. For example, cinema is characterized by audience perception, robots, and

ethical principles. For technology, the sub-nodes industrial robots, AI, and other

dimensions of humanizing AI are defined. Economy and market are characterized

by sub-nodes innovation, market growth, and industrial robots.

Fig. 5. Conceptual modeling of the context-technology-economy relationship

(author’s original contribution)

5. Limitations. Future research directions. Conclusions

The study is built on a set of films released between 1927 and 2024,

combined with several types of secondary information. This was a deliberate design

choice rather than a constraint. The objective was not to obtain laboratory-grade

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Larisa Ivascu, Nicoleta Mirea, Ben-Oni Ardelean, Simona Rus, Marius Pislaru

measurements, but to place side-by-side perspectives from engineering, economics,

and cultural analysis in order to see how they interact when examined in a common

frame. Because no direct technical experiments were carried out, the interpretation

relies on material already available in academic work, market reports, and industry

data. Relating specific technological steps in robotics to what appears on screen is

seldom straightforward and this study does not claim otherwise. The relationship

between them remains indirect and mediated, reflecting the way cultural influence

usually operates: through the ways people imagine machines, the assumptions

engineers carry into their projects, and the expectations that guide investment

decisions.

In response to this difficulty, the study has approached the topic by aligning

key film examples with technological and economic developments documented for

the same periods. For 2024, economic figures have been treated with particular

caution, since some indicators are still volatile and some datasets remain

incomplete. Even so, these figures are useful as directional signals, pointing

towards the trajectories along which the sector appears to be moving. By keeping

the argument honest and making the projections usable both for engineering

discussions and for economic interpretation, we conclude that this uncertainty is

part of the journey. We do not treat these limits as weaknesses. We believe they can

be understood as starting points for the coming work. In line with this, we think that

more detailed case studies, practice-oriented engineering investigations, and long-

term economic modelling could deepen and test the interdisciplinary line opened

here.

We also think that future research would benefit from a stronger emphasis

on applied engineering questions. It is still a need for more case studies

documenting tools originally developed for film work, robotic cameras, motion-

control rigs, AI-based animation systems, and comparable technologies. And how

are they adapted and reused in industrial contexts? The possible transition of

cinematic innovations, such as neural interfaces or collaborative humanoids, toward

logistics, health care, or manufacturing environments needs to be researched. To

compare and clarify how different industries integrate and reinterpret entertainment

robotics when moving from the studio to the factory or the hospital, it is also

necessary to observe and study. An important direction here is systematic

collaboration between film-engineering teams and industrial robotics laboratories,

with the explicit aim of accelerating mutual innovation. In addition, an integrated

techno-economic model that combines market indicators with research-and-

development data would help capture robotics-driven growth in a more structured

way.

The analysis developed in this paper suggests that robot-focused filmmaking

is not only a cultural artefact, but also a conceptual framework that continuously

informs and stimulates applied engineering practice. Following the line of ideas

Robots as cultural products: film as a driver of perception,

innovation, and technological marketing

143

from the past (Metropolis, 1927) to nowadays (The Wild Robot, 2024), we believe

it is more and more clear that filmmaking has been a constant space. The ideas about

robotic autonomy, bodies, and interaction are tested in advance. These films are not

simple illustrations, because they are made in such a manner that images and story

devices can later be recognized as rough models for precise motion control,

anthropomorphic design, or AI-supported collaboration. All of this in real technical

systems. The presented background led to three conclusions that are especially

relevant. In the first place, there is a direct engineering link. Techniques and devices

that appear first in service of the camera, such as programmable arms, motion-

control equipment or virtual production stages, are gradually transferred into

industrial automation, warehouse logistics or medical applications. Another

important aspect, there is an economic effect that works alongside these two

channels: film robotics generates immediate revenue through tickets and spin-off

products, and, at the same time, helps to legitimise and attract funding for robotics

and automation projects. A third point concerns this focus repeated on risk, safety

and responsibility in robot films underlines what is central for engineering: systems

have to be designed so that they are stable, safe in operation, and clearly oriented

towards the limits and needs of humans. Especially relevant, when these elements

are read together, they clearly note that cinema and robotics form a two-way

relationship rather than a simple one-directional influence. In this context, we

conclude that the imaginative work on screen informs how engineers think about

new tools, while the technical progress in robotics, in turn, enlarges what film-

makers and producers can attempt both artistically and economically. In this

dynamic interaction, cinematographic robotics is a critical driver of

interdisciplinary innovation, bridge engineering research, technological transfer,

and digitalisation of the world economy.

Looking at the past century's films, it is clear that screens have never been a

simple mirror of technology innovation. Instead, it is a place where the fears, hopes and

semi-formed ideas of intelligent machines form long before these machines enter the

real world. Today, when robots and artificial intelligence systems are integrated into

workplaces, services and household routines, many of the first questions raised in

cinema return to new urgency. The transformation of mechanical figures into

distributed software-driven agents shows how far the concept of “robots” has

progressed. What once appeared as a metal body now survives as a set of functions,

sometimes visible, often not, but unequivocally influential. Contemporary reports on

human-AI cooperation suggest that the future will include less confrontation and more

negotiations: people and automated agents learn to share tasks, decisions and

responsibilities. From this point of view, the imaginative work of the film does not

disappear into nostalgia; it becomes a resource. It helps to describe what we are meeting

today and, in a quieter way, hints what we may need to negotiate next.

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