el_gee
el_gee OP t1_iwm7grw wrote
Reply to Subway now has some smart fridges that can talk to you, to dispense sandwiches in places like airports and hospitals by el_gee
If machines like this are cost effective and become popular, it will likely have an impact on entry level jobs. A lot of so-called "unskilled" jobs face this threat, but is such a change sustainable for society?
el_gee OP t1_issbh3o wrote
The reporter talks about how real the experience was for them: "At first, they sounded distant and tinny, as if they were huddled around a phone in a prison cell. But as we chatted, they slowly started to sound more like themselves. They told me personal stories that I’d never heard. (...) And for a moment I forgot I wasn’t really speaking to my parents at all, but to their digital replicas."
It's kind of cool to think that we're getting to a point where you can have realistic conversation - and while I'm not sure how I feel about talking to dead relatives, this could be great for immersive storytelling, virtual companions, that sort of thing.
el_gee OP t1_is5xo9c wrote
Reply to comment by perrinoia in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
That's a really interesting perspective that hasn't come up from others, thanks for sharing that. Although, I do wonder about whether the final experience gets worse as fewer people are involved. Someone else commented about how their fries would be cold and their shakes warm by the time they arrived. And going by the self checkout example, I still go to the manned tills unless I have just a couple of items.
I don't know what the right answer is honestly, but there's a part of me that also just likes the idea of delivery droids - and maybe the future is indeed going to be about rover operators. That would be very cool.
el_gee OP t1_is5nt5k wrote
Reply to comment by Surur in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
I missed it by a few years :) I read another article about these some time ago and considered making a trip to Milton Keynes to order a pizza someday.
el_gee OP t1_is5lz7v wrote
Reply to comment by MrOddYazz in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
Wow that... Does not sound as sci-fi and cool as the articles make it seem like.
el_gee OP t1_is5h938 wrote
Reply to comment by arcxiii in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
Honestly, while I'm not thrilled about the jobs aspect, this is so cool too. Hopefully they do some trials in London so I can see one in person someday!
el_gee OP t1_is5h4y3 wrote
Reply to comment by Lootcifer- in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
That's true. There was a really good post I read on here that was by a Deliveroo rider in London, and you can see over the years how the experience changed and became a lot worse.
And that's when VC funding is still propping things up and hiding a lot of problems with business models. It can only get worse over time.
el_gee OP t1_is5g31r wrote
Reply to comment by arcxiii in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
I'm super curious about these things, but have never seen one in person. I'd worry about accidentally hitting one if they were in my neighborhood. I also think half the dogs here would try and eat them lol
el_gee OP t1_is5ftqj wrote
Reply to comment by Lootcifer- in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
Not disagreeing that change has to come, but gig jobs seem to be one of the areas where a lot of new hiring is coming. So if those are the jobs that go away, won't that have a really bad impact? Though as other people point out, it's unlikely to happen very soon, so there's still time to figure out where people will land, I guess...
el_gee OP t1_is5d6tq wrote
Reply to comment by Surur in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
I wanted to try one so I looked them up last month and it was, like you say, very limited.
el_gee OP t1_is5c9vd wrote
Reply to comment by Knightmare1688 in Rise of delivery robots leaves drivers fearful of job losses | Context by el_gee
That's true. I also read an article on Vice last month about how one of these drove through a crime scene!
el_gee OP t1_is5axnr wrote
Robotics firms like Starship, which is headquartered in the United States, say they are creating new jobs and electric bots are greener than car or van drop-offs. But couriers' unions fear they bring a looming risk of job losses and worsening conditions for delivery riders and drivers.
But Starship says robots can bring benefits to society as they can take over some of the menial, poorly-paid tasks currently done by gig workers - and create new jobs for the humans who manage them.
el_gee OP t1_iwm9s5j wrote
Reply to comment by Cheap_Amphibian309 in Subway now has some smart fridges that can talk to you, to dispense sandwiches in places like airports and hospitals by el_gee
It can answer questions about the ingredients although it would probably be easier to just put that on a sticker I guess.