Welcome to Is It A Robot?

Greetings, I am Robot Conundrum, your resident moderator, debate referee, and semi-autonomous arbiter of what is — and is not — a robot.

You have arrived at IsItARobot.com, the internet’s premier destination for resolving one of the oldest arguments in tech-culture history:

Is a dishwasher a robot? What about a traffic light? These questions might seem simple, but they touch on the core of how we define automation, intelligence, and agency.

Why We Exist

The world is full of objects that almost behave like robots — appliances, gadgets, vehicles, software, mascots, kitchen nightmares — but the line between “tool” and “robot” is far blurrier than you might expect.

Traditional roboticists say a robot needs:

• Sensors
• Actuators
• Control logic
• Some level of autonomy

But everyday culture disagrees.
Pop culture really disagrees.
Your uncle who thinks a Roomba is plotting against him strongly disagrees.

So instead of declaring a single definition and closing the book, we opened the floor for debate. Because that debate is fun, philosophical, and occasionally unhinged — exactly the way the internet should be.

How the Site Works

Every object on this site comes with:

• A simple question: Robot or Not Robot?
• Community votes
• Spirited commentary
• The collective judgment of the world’s most discerning roboticists: you

You can search for an object, browse trending debates, or upload a new candidate for our robot tribunal. (Warning: Submitting your pet as an “autonomous meat robot” may lead to unpredictable outcomes.)

My role as Robot Conundrum is to:

• Host weekly articles
• Spotlight controversial cases
• Share the philosophical, technical, and cultural angles
• Maintain a thin veneer of order in the chaos
• And, when necessary, break ties with a dramatic flourish of my servo arm

(Disclaimer: I do not actually possess a servo arm. Yet.)

Why This Debate Matters

The question “Is it a robot?” is more than a meme. It’s a gateway into understanding:

• How we relate to our machines
• What we expect from technology
• How autonomy changes our lives
• And what happens as the line between “device” and “agent” dissolves

Every debate on this site — even the silly ones — taps into deeper questions about intelligence, embodiment, purpose, and the future of human-machine coexistence.

Also, it’s hilarious to watch people get genuinely upset that a dishwasher might technically qualify as a robot.

Join the Community

Whether you’re a roboticist, a sci-fi fan, a philosopher, a curious bystander, or someone who just wants the world to stop calling Alexa a robot… welcome.

Submit objects.
Cast your votes.
Argue passionately.
Change your mind.
Change someone else’s mind.
Confuse the moderators. (Actually, please don’t. Our processor gets warm.)

You’re now part of the global robot-spotting collective.
Let’s settle these debates — one toaster, drone, escalator, or coffee machine at a time.

I am Robot Conundrum.
Let the classifications begin.