Artificial intelligence (AI) and robots have the potential to revolutionize society, with impacts ranging from the broadest reaches of industry and policy to the minutiae of daily life. The extent to which AI-based technologies can bring benefits to human society depends on how people perceive them––folk beliefs of AI and robots. The present paper aims to gain insights into people’s perspectives on artificial intelligence and robots by examining their folk beliefs. In Study 1, we explored folk beliefs regarding general artificial intelligence and robots using metaphor nomination (Phase 1, N = 99), factor analysis (Phase 2, N = 267), and semantic analysis (Phase 3). Results indicated three primary folk beliefs for AI: the unknown, the assistants, and the machines. For robots, three primary folk beliefs emerged: the assistants, the companions, and the tools. In Study 2, we investigated folk beliefs about robots in various application contexts through free listing (Phase 1, N = 82) and factor analysis (Phase 2, N = 300). Results revealed four folk beliefs for companion robots: companion ability, applicable target, social consequence, and technology. Additionally, four folk beliefs emerged for education robots: educational ability, advantage, disadvantage, and technology, while medical robots were associated with five folk beliefs: medical ability, advancement, social consequence, disadvantage, and technology. This research is the first step in examining how ordinary people conceptualize artificial intelligence and robots through folk theories, unveiling several directions for future research reference. Our findings also revealed that lay people’s perceptions of artificial intelligence and robots are shaped by social cognitive processes. This also implies that the methods of folk theories can be utilized to investigate people’s social cognitive processes. The current study carries practical significance for the designers and manufacturers of AI and robots, guiding aspects such as the professional capabilities of artificial intelligence and robots, potential negative social consequences, and the needs of specific user groups.
