A brave new world: emerging technology narratives of agricultural robotics in UK media and their implications for responsible innovation

Ayris, K., Jackman, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4832-4955, Mauchline, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1168-8552 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). e70047. ISSN 1467-9523 doi: 10.1111/soru.70047

Abstract/Summary

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
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/130954
Identification Number/DOI	10.1111/soru.70047
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Science > School of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science > Department of Geography and Environmental Science Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Wiley
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