Robots with familiar accents can be more trustworthy for users.
Robots seem more trustworthy if they have local accents
Most bots have monotonous voices but research suggests that some people would prefer them to use a local accent as it made them seem more trustworthy and competent.
Experts from Germany's University of Potsdam asked 120 people living in Berlin or Brandenburg to complete an online survey where they were asked to watch videos in which a robot spoke in either standard German or working-class Berlin dialect.
Most respondents preferred the robot to speak standard German but those from Berlin would rather the robot speak in their language.
Katharina Kuhne, the lead author of the study, said: "If you're good at speaking a dialect, you're more likely to trust a robot that speaks the same way.
"It seems people trust the robot more because they find a similarity."
The researchers added that context plays an important role in deciding when a local accent is appropriate as it could be useful in a scenario when a person wants to forge a connection with the bot.