Getting your
Trinity Audioplayer ready... AI robots roaming around the workplace will now be on San Mateo County’s radar.
The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday to establish a permitting system for restaurants, hotels and other businesses using autonomous AI-controlled robots — a system that county officials is the first of its kind.
The move is the latest effort by the county to regulate robot use in commercial areas, which they say can jeopardize the local job market for human workers, create safety hazards by blocking emergency services, get into “unpredictable” physical interactions with people and cause fires with their highly flammable batteries.
A permit will be required for bots that use cameras or sensors, can operate partially without a human in public areas and are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The new rule takes effect mid-October and only applies to unincorporated San Mateo County.
The robot’s manufacturer and safety records will also have to be reported, as well as proof that they can comply with battery safety, accessibility, privacy and food safety requirements.
While no known AI robots are running around local commercial spaces, experts say the new permit system helps establish workplace safety guidelines before the bots become commonplace. “We want to be thinking ahead about what could go wrong and how we can build up processes and policies to avoid anyone getting hurt,” said Ken Goldberg, a robotics professor at UC Berkeley.
In addition to a permit, owners will have to submit a report on how their robot will impact human employment within their business and the county. If the robot displaces employees, businesses will be required to either redeploy them with at least equal pay or provide a minimum of 60 days’ notice and a severance package equivalent to four weeks of pay. If these options don’t work, businesses can also pay a fee to the county which subsidize local job transition services.
“I don’t think its too much of an intrusion to have these requirements … and on this new type of worker coming into the work force,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller, who introduced the ordinance.
In a 2025 job report, the World Economic Forum found that 58 percent of employers surveyed expect robots and autonomous systems to transform their businesses by 2030.
Julie Lind, executive officer of the San Mateo Labor Council, said she is glad the county passed the permit system and included support for displaced workers. Lind said she doesn’t know any businesses in the county using AI robots, but believes its important for cities to be thinking of such considerations.
“Everybody is worried about the impact of AI, not specific to robots per say, but how these advancements are going to impact the workforce at large,” she said. “There is no guarantee that any particular type of work will be protected.”
The county precautions can also send a positive message to local tech companies developing AI robots, Goldberg said.
“It’s saying, ‘We want to bring the technology into our own neighborhood,” he said. “It’s showing that neighborhoods are prepared, are thinking about it, and saying, ‘We want to do this thoughtfully.'”
Multiple tech companies in the valley have already started rolling out humanoid robots. In San Francisco, residents can hire humanoid robots from Tau Robotics to clean their home or office for $30 an hour. The cleaning is supervised by remote human operators, according to the company website.
Other parts of the region has had run-ins with rogue robots.
In March, a robot broke out into a chaotic dance in front of customers at Haidilao Hot Pot in Cupertino. A video shows three staffers restraining the machine as it wildly swings its arms. Only a few sauces were spilled in the tousle.
That remote-control robot doesn’t serve food, but is programmed to dance, say “hi” and do hand movements like making a heart shape, a high-five or shaking hands, according to staff.