The Rise of Robotic Services: When Maintenance Becomes a Subscription

By Futurist Thomas Frey

Automation has always followed the same pattern—it starts as a novelty, becomes a hassle, and eventually transforms into an indispensable part of daily life. Cars took more than a century to reach the level of reliability we take for granted today. Early versions were dangerous, expensive, and unpredictable. The same will be true for robots. When they first arrive in our homes, they won’t be perfect. But as history has shown, the imperfections of early automation only open doors for entirely new industries.

Consider robotic lawn mowers. The idea sounds simple—set it up once and enjoy a perfectly trimmed lawn forever. In practice, setup is tedious, boundaries fail, batteries die, and repairs require expertise. The technology works, but the experience doesn’t. That’s why the real business model of the future won’t be selling robotic mowers—it will be providing robotic mowing services.

A homeowner won’t need to buy or maintain the robot. Instead, a company will deliver, configure, and service it, ensuring your lawn is always perfect. You’ll pay a predictable monthly subscription, and the robot will just quietly do its job.

This same model will extend far beyond the backyard. Home robots for cleaning, laundry, deliveries, and security will mostly be leased, not owned. Most people won’t want the responsibility of setup, programming, or maintenance. Instead, they’ll subscribe to a “home robotics plan,” where specialists customize robots for each home’s layout, train residents on how to interact with them, and handle updates and repairs remotely. When the robot needs a part replaced, the company will dispatch a technician—or, more likely, another robot—to fix it.

It’s easy to imagine how quickly this service model will spread. Drones that deliver groceries, dog-like robots that patrol property, and mobile assistants that fetch items from room to room will all fall under the same logic. Ownership becomes optional. Responsibility shifts from the consumer to the provider. And the home becomes a managed environment filled with smart, semi-autonomous helpers that simply work.

In this model, the future homeowner won’t think about whether their robot needs calibration or their drone requires a software update. These systems will operate much like utilities—quiet, reliable, and invisible. Just as few people today know how their refrigerator’s compressor functions, few will know what code keeps their robotic helper running. The relationship between humans and machines will evolve from direct interaction to managed service.

This is how automation matures—not through individual ownership, but through professional stewardship. When a technology becomes too complex for the average person to manage, someone always steps in to manage it for them. The robot repairman of the 2030s may be the modern equivalent of the auto mechanic of the 1930s—part technician, part trusted partner in keeping our mechanical companions alive.

As robots move into our homes, businesses will emerge to handle every detail of their existence. They’ll design the interfaces, manage the updates, and ensure everything functions seamlessly in the background. The future won’t just be about having smarter machines—it will be about creating smarter systems of support.

Final Thoughts
Robotic technology doesn’t fail when it’s imperfect—it thrives when a new ecosystem rises to make it usable. Home robotics will follow the same path as automobiles: early adopters will tinker, service industries will follow, and before long, the idea of manually maintaining your own robot will seem as outdated as tuning your own carburetor. Automation takes time to perfect, but along the way, it builds entire new economies designed to make imperfection profitable.