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To deal with problems. The big issue with all automated processes is always the unexpected. It's really easy to make machines do the same thing the same way over and over, and as long as what they're dealing with is always the same thing in the same position that's great. But as soon as something goes a little wonky your automated systems start running into problems.

Two of the keys to humans ability to solve problems are creativity in thought and a sense of ownership, it's that sense of ownership that makes us decide to solve a problem, that's why it's one of the big quests of businesses. In order to have a sense of ownership you have to have a sense of yourself, that which doesn't exist (or doesn't believe it exists) can't own anything. So if you want robots to be able to creatively solve problems (there's always going to be problems, like the kid in Breakfast Club said "bolts fall out, it's an imperfect world") that will come up during the course of their work day they need that sense of ownership, and to get that they need a sense of self.

Of course unlike the Koreans I don't see this coming up for a long time. I don't see us moving from the automated world we largely have to a roboticized world for at least 50 years. There are way too many technical and social hurdles. And in many ways I think it's the social hurdles that will be the biggest, we're a long way from being able to accept a manufacturing plant that doesn't need a parking lot because it has zero employees because every single job that's done there (including janitorial, security and maintenance) is done by a machine. When it gets to a point every single news article about a plant opening doesn't include how many jobs it will create we'll almost be there.