Program Overview

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The Economics of Robots (COMP0230)

Key Information

The Economics of Robots (COMP0230) is a module offered by the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, specifically through the Computer Science department. It carries a credit value of 15.

Faculty and Teaching Department

• Faculty: Faculty of Engineering Sciences
• Teaching department: Computer Science

Credit Value and Restrictions

• Credit value: 15
• Restrictions: Module delivery for UG Masters (FHEQ Level 7) is available on MEng Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.

Alternative Credit Options

There are no alternative credit options available for this module.

Description

Aims

The aims of this module are to:

1. Support students in developing their breadth of knowledge and understanding in the fundamentals of robots in society.
2. Provide an economics grounding in framing problems in robotics and AI in society using appropriate theories and approaches.
3. Provide students with enabling knowledge in understanding the changing job market and its relationship to the development of robotics and AI.
4. Provide students with tools to carry out relevant critical analysis to assess and reflect on the economics of deploying robots and other new technologies.

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module, a student will be able to:

1. Select and then apply economic concepts to understanding the impact of robotics, with a global perspective.
2. Identify fundamental concepts in the effects of robots on global working life in a variety of areas.
3. Identify the mechanisms by which we study the effects of robots and sources of data available.
4. Analyse and critique sectoral analyses, e.g., Manufacturing; Agriculture; Medicine; Retail; Service sectors; Warfare. The effects on old industry and the creation of new opportunities.
5. Evaluate the economics of deploying intelligent robots and the emerging marketplace for robots, displaying a critical understanding of the impacts of policies and regulation.

Indicative Content

The module will typically cover:

• Economic concepts, including basic concepts, individuals and markets, economics and decision making, supply and demand, competition, microeconomics and public policy, economic growth.
• Effects of robots on working life in a variety of areas: history, the present, and prospects for the future.
• Mechanisms by which we study this and sources of data available.
• Sectoral analysis, e.g., Manufacturing; Agriculture; Medicine; Retail; Service sectors; Warfare effects on old industry and the creation of new opportunities.
• Indirect economic effects on the general population.
• The economics of deploying intelligent robots and the emerging marketplace for robots.
• The emerging marketplace for robots: general to niche.
• Case studies of companies involved in building robots, from large to small.
• Investment in robotics, costs in development and maintenance.
• Regulatory bodies, regulation, and politics.
• Safety, liability, and litigation.
• Robotics SMEs: the innovation space, start-ups, and spinouts.
• Effects of autonomous systems on the global digital divide and on societal and structural inequalities.

Requisite Conditions

To be eligible to select this module as optional or elective, a student must be registered on a programme and year of study for which it is formally available.

Module Deliveries for 2026/27 Academic Year

Intended Teaching Term

• Term 2
• Undergraduate (FHEQ Level 7)

Teaching and Assessment

Mode of Study

• In person

Intended Teaching Location

• UCL East

Methods of Assessment

• 20% Coursework
• 80% Group activity (2 assessments)

Mark Scheme

• Numeric Marks

Other Information

Number of Students on Module in Previous Year

• 0