Objective To explore the challenges encountered by elderly care robots, so as to provide a reference for the application and generalization of elderly care robots. Methods From April to October 2023, purposive sampling method was used to select two government personnel, two technology providers, two managers of elderly care organizations, two elderly care workers, three elderly people, two university teachers, two representatives of insurance companies, and two media representatives to conductsemi-structured interviews. A descriptive qualitative study was designed, and the ecosystem theory was employed to guide the study, the key issues of the interviews were related to the advantages and potential risks of the technology itself, the responsibilities and attitudes of the stakeholders, the relevant information and knowledge that the society at large needs to be aware of, the main barriers that may be faced, and the impact that the introduction of the technology may have on society as a whole. The thematic analysis was utilized to analyze the interview data. Results Elderly care robots faced three major challenges across 12 themes: challenges to the individual or group (high expectations of the technology, low acceptance, ethical conflicts, and knowledge gaps), challenges at the societal level (unequal distribution of resources, inadequate digital infrastructure, cultural and social acceptance issues, outdated laws and regulations, and difficulties in budgeting and procurement), and challenges to the promotion of the product (the technology-needs gap, diffusion barriers, and security and privacy concerns). Conclusion To effectively introduce and generalize elderly care robots, a comprehensive approach addressing individual, group, and socio-cultural challenges is essential. Overcoming technical obstacles alone is insufficient, societal perceptions, regulatory frameworks, social resource allocation, and the integration of the technology into the existing care system should also be considered.