A Brave New World: Emerging Technology Narratives of Agricultural Robotics in UK Media and Their Implications for Responsible Innovation
Ayris, K., Jackman, A., Mauchline, A. and Rose, D.C. (2026) A Brave New World: Emerging Technology Narratives of Agricultural Robotics in UK Media and Their Implications for Responsible Innovation. Sociologia Ruralis, 66 (3). ISSN 0038-0199
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Abstract
While robotics has been identified by some institutions as potentially transformative for agriculture, scholars have argued that the technology could have significant negative impacts. Many agricultural robots are in the early stages of development, commercialisation and adoption – it is therefore important to anticipate the potential impacts of these technologies and substantively engage stakeholders for responsible innovation. However, where substantive inclusion of stakeholders includes lay citizens unfamiliar with the food sector, their understanding of agricultural robotics may be partly informed by narratives encountered elsewhere. In this study, we examine one potential source of these narratives, via a discourse analysis of UK media publications. We identify common ‘problem scripts’ used to justify agricultural robotics, a tendency towards promissory narratives, and an inevitability framing. We reflect on the implications of such narratives for responsible innovation of agricultural robotics, and their impact on substantive stakeholder inclusion. Finally, we highlight the need to consider media narratives when undertaking responsible innovation, to avoid directing innovation in a linear fashion and instead open up broader agricultural futures.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Keywords: | agricultural robotics, discourse analysis, emerging technologies, inevitability, responsible innovation, vanguard visions |
| Divisions: | Research Centres > Centre for Social Science > Engaging for Change (E4C) |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Rachael Giles |
| Date Deposited: | 20 Jul 2026 09:50 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Jul 2026 09:50 |
| URI: | https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18404 |
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