Walmart is piloting Shelf Scanning Robots in 50 stores

[Le Gaucher]

Slowly but surely a large portion of humans will be pushed outside the bounds of relevance by robots and their wealthy owners.

The tipping point is here. Automation will start replacing jobs faster than we can create them.

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-walmart-robots/update-1-wal-marts-new-robots-scan-shelves-to-restock-items-faster-idUSL2N1N10GF

Wal-Mart Stores Inc is rolling out shelf-scanning robots in more than 50 U.S. stores to replenish inventory faster and save employees time when products run out.

The approximately 2-foot (0.61-meter) robots come with a tower that is fitted with cameras that scan aisles to check stock and identify missing and misplaced items, incorrect prices and mislabeling. The robots pass that data to store employees, who then stock the shelves and fix errors.

Out-of-stock items are a big problem for retailers since they miss out on sales every time a shopper cannot find a product on store shelves.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer has been testing shelf-scanning robots in a handful of stores in Arkansas, Pennsylvania and California.

[PoliticAverse]

1. "The robots pass that data to store employees, who then stock the shelves and fix errors"

Frequent inventorying is rather tedius.

[democratisphere]

2. Robots will be spending their paychecks at Walmart.

Corporations are eliminating the jobs for the very people that buy and shop for that corporations products. Idiots are running corporations.

[PoliticAverse]

3. Sorry but I'm going with "luddite fallacy" for that. n/t

[democratisphere]

14. That was two (2) centuries ago and actually is no longer relevant.

The world will continue to drastically change and human jobs and paychecks are hugely at risk.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/515926/how-technology-is-destroying-jobs/

[PoliticAverse]

16. Quote - But no one knows the cause. n/t

[democratisphere]

21. Absurd. Apply reason and logic.

[PoliticAverse]

24. That's from the article you cited...

But are these new technologies really responsible for a decade of lackluster job growth? Many labor economists say the data are, at best, far from conclusive. Several other plausible explanations, including events related to global trade and the financial crises of the early and late 2000s, could account for the relative slowness of job creation since the turn of the century. “No one really knows,” says Richard Freeman, a labor economist at Harvard University.

David Autor, an economist at MIT who has extensively studied the connections between jobs and technology, also doubts that technology could account for such an abrupt change in total employment. “There was a great sag in employment beginning in 2000. Something did change,” he says. “But no one knows the cause.”

[delisen]

6. Walmart will become backer of Basic Guaranteed Income

in the US and will lobby government to tax millionaires rather than billionaires to provide the tax dollars for the BGI.

It will trigger the Millionaire-Billionaire Civil War and new soldiering jobs will be created to fight the war.

The BGI payments will be so low that we will sign up for the new soldier iniatives just for pocket change.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

59. Weapons will be limited to golf clubs and cricket bats, LOL.

n/t

[procon]

41. But people who operate, sell and maintain those robots will likely shop at Walmart.

They are going to make higher wages than the average Walmart worker because of their education, training and skills. Even if unskilled low wage jobs give way to more skilled, technical jobs, workers who earn higher wages have more money to spend, and that is what fuels the economy.

Its not that corporations are idiots, its the rapid shifts to advanced technology is changing everything. Unskilled workers will continue to be pushed farther down the economic scale, simply because they are no longer employable. Corporations must change to stay competitive, just as workers have to adapt to stay competitive in the job market of today.

The key is education. The role of local and state governments are essential to provide students and unskilled workers with assistance and opportunities to gain the knowledge they will need to stay employed. Government should be pouring money into education programs to keep kids in school, and retrain unemployed workers. Government needs to team up with businesses and unions to develop curriculums that produce skilled, tech savvy, employment ready workers who will earn good wages.

[Bear Creek]

48. Probably Not

The amount of workers will be next to nothing and could be done from a remote location.

[procon]

53. Its not as if one drone operator replaces one low wage worker, is it?

Its all the other ancillary jobs connected to the increasing use of all that robotic equipment in every aspect of our lives. With the possible exception of antarctica, even workers in remote locations still have to go shopping, even at walmart. And since they make significantly more money, they have more to spend, and that means still more jobs.

[dembotoz]

4. so will we see new people of walmart posts on facebook with robot photobombs?

thought cash registers already did that with product codes...guess not

are they used after hours? at 2 ft tall i would probably trip over one and break a leg

[Atman]

13. The article mentions scanning for "mis-placed items."

Lots of people decide they don't want something in their cart and just put it back wherever they are in the store. A cash register won't know that the item isn't on the proper shelf, only that it's still in inventory. That doesn't help the customer staring at the empty shelf where the missing item should be.

[PoliticAverse]

17. Yes, who hadn't seen a package of meat placed in some non-refridgerated part of a food store

by a customer that changed their mind.

I'm all for robots doing tedious work like shelf checking.

[left-of-center2012]

52. I once saw a package of meat in the toy department

I had the store's phone # in my phone, don't recall why, so I called the store.

They said they'd have someone take care of it immediately.
I wonder if it went back in the meat department or got tossed out.

[Blue_true]

5. The Walmarts in my city already use self scanning robots.

I think in something like 3 of 15 lanes in one store. I go there to buy canned soda because they always have the flavor that I want when other stores don't.

Look, we need to have a real serious discussion and start planning GE and population control dynamics (encourage people to remain childless or adopt foster kids instead of breeding), because most work will one day be done by robots.

[Le Gaucher]

11. Maybe we should send a 'market signal' by ending Child credit all other kid related subsidies.

We should make child rearing an expensive previlege for the rich. Fuck maternal instinct.

Just in case some takes above seriously.



But Honestly - I am all for delaying child birth. Women should not have kids before they are financially secure. My niece just entered high school and has classmates who have kids. It is beyond irresponsible for them to have gone ahead with their pregnancies. They should be focused on their acads and their careers instead on having unprotected sex with idiot school boys who dont have a fucking clue what they are getting into.

[crazycatlady]

19. I think kid subsidies should have a cap

If you want to have ten kids, knock yourself out. But you shouldn't get taxpayer subsidies for all 10 kids.

[Le Gaucher]

32. that is not the way it is now. You get a credit per kid. I think. While this is

useful for struggling families with little mouths to feed -- it also shields stupid kids from the consequences of their irresponsible procreation.

[FSogol]

25. You misread. The self scanning robots aren't doing checkout, they are doing inventory of the sales

aisles, not the checkout aisle. The next step will be straightening and stocking the shelves.

[MineralMan]

7. Stock-checking is always a troublesome part of retailing.

It's labor and time intensive, and therefore costly. That's why point-of-sale inventory technology helps retail stores maintain shelf stocks. This new automation technology will also help. Using human employees to restock and move misplaced items will still require a lot of employees in large retail outlets. They'll be busier due to this automation.

The robots won't get bored at shelf inventory work, skip areas to avoid restocking work, etc. Humans do.

[cwydro]

8. I know DU hates Walmart, but the employees in my local store are fantastic.

I can’t imagine a robot helping me look for Grape Nut Flakes like a sweet woman did for me the other day. We never found them...guess they don’t make em anymore.

She even found me in the water section to show me another cereal she thought might be something I’d like.

[WinkyDink]

23. Nobody is criticizing workers on DU.

[cwydro]

27. But so many here say dont shop there.

This would hurt the workers, would it not?

[Atticus]

28. So,the answer is to keep using the damn "self check out" lanes, shrug at robotic shelf stockers and

deal with out-sourced computer screen kiosks for "customer service"! That will be great for the WalMart employees-----both of them!

[cwydro]

29. Plenty of humans at my local Walmart.

And they are hiring. Humans, I suppose.

[Atticus]

35. Just--------unreal. Have a wonderful day. nt

[procon]

42. Pffft... that was so lame.

Why is it that when an argument fails to impress, we get treated to this passive aggressive snippiness? As in any debate, just bow out gracefully, lick your wounds and live for the day when someone might actually agree with your POV.

Have a wonderful day!

[LanternWaste]

36. I fail to see how even the entire population of DU would affect a company making $485 billion...

I fail to see how even the entire population of DU, not shopping at WalMart, would affect those workers of a company which made 485 billion dollars last year.

Possibly you can explain both the numbers and the math, and the objective measure of "hurt" these workers would receive, yes...?

[moda253]

40. Wow.

Just...... wow.

[HughBeaumont]

9. Siiiiiiiiiggghhhhh.

[procon]

43. No, but the workers who design those robots, sell them, build, program, operate,

install, maintain and repair them, sure do buy a lot of consumer products. And because they got an education and training to develop their highly desirable tech skills, they are earning excellent wages that gives them a lot of extra discretionary income to spend.

Think it through. <sigh> The whole world is advancing into an advanced technological age and that progress will not slow down. American workers must have the skills necessary to be employed.

[HughBeaumont]

44. Um, yes, those would be "Not the people the robots made permanently unemployed/unemployable".

Expecting everyone to be a STEM/Logic genius just for something as necessary as employment is folly.

Think THIS through -

How does an unemployed person who didn't go to college and got displaced by technology improve themselves or get the training necessary for a career change? Companies want to see sheepskins, which now isn't just a part time summer job away. It now costs 1/3-3/4 of a mortgage. Where is that coming from if they're un/underemployed?

Not to mention you can get all the education in the world, and it still isn't going to make a lick of difference if corporations have no interest in hiring people. Jobs appear because of demand, not out of noblesse oblige. How is demand going to happen when you have swaths of people who have no paycheck and no ability to consume?

And no, we're not "all going to become coders". Law of diminishing returns. If everyone was super, no one will be.

[procon]

47. No, you're wrong. Everything is going digital, everything.

The demand for programmers and IT specialists in all fields is exploding, but so are the ancillary tech support jobs. Many of these skills do not require a brick and mortar formal education. Things like a MS Certification is gold, and training can be obtained online, some are free. There are accelerated programs MS operates in conjunction with educational partners and state JCs that can be completed by taking 2 classes over 3-4 semesters.

These are not "super" skills, they are current skills that are in high demand and the starting pay for the basic MS Certification is about $50K. Two of my nephews did it on their own without any formal education, and one was a terrible student (like D--) in HS, but now they each have earned a slew of MS Certs and each of them earns over $110K per year.

Excuses abound, but this country puts less value on the importance of education than most other industrial nations. We still don't fully fund public education. The public still doesn't understand that a high school education is practically worthless and means nothing but backbreaking, dirty, menial labor jobs, if they are even available. That isn't going to change.

[Bear Creek]

49. That is old

That was said back in the day when robotics future effects was discussed. All of it ended up being out sourced. In the end there will be no jobs and no one to by the junk they make and sell.

[procon]

55. Hogwash. The technicians that come in to install, repair

or calibrate high tech equipment in homes, retail stores or factories, are making high wages that help support the economies of our local communities. Last month I had an appointment to take my car in for routine maintenance, but the shop called to reschedule because their specialist who was trained to operate the diagnostic equipment that could talk to my car's onboard computer system, was out sick, not outsourced.

While unskilled labor still exists, the working conditions and wages are crushing. There will always be good paying jobs for skilled blue collar jobs workers, but the skillsets will become higher as technology continues to advance. This is the future and it won't change.

[Bear Creek]

56. Hogwash

Is what your selling. Sorry no jobs will be created here and lots of people will be going without. Try to sell it somewhere else. I have a minor in robotics.

[procon]

57. And I'm the Tooth Fairy, nice to meetcha!

Gotta love the Internet, how does it go, when your argument flounders, just claim some vast unprovable expertise? C'mon, in debate class, one of the first things they pound into your head is the list of fallacious arguments, and I'm fair certain that an Argument from Authority is near the top.

It goes something like, as a last resort, the opponent cites an authority, implying that is the be all, end all truth and therefore does not need to be evaluated on merit, and since there is no way to evaluate the veracity... WIN!

Can you hear me laughing... Sorry, not sorry in the least.

[ghostsinthemachine]

10. Inventory. Loss prevention. Restocking. Sweeping and yes,

An ever present "helper bot" to answer questions. Spills will be cleaned, coned off, because there is no limit to the number you can have in a store.

I've worked for inventory companies and this is the first thing I think of when I see robots/workforce stories.

Bots also reduce liability. No OSHA regs. No minimum wage. No Workers Comp, unions, sick days, maternity/paternity leave, overtime. None of that. No paperwork, taxes, healthcare that make employees so expensive.

[ghostsinthemachine]

12. Humans need not apply

Must watch. This shit is real now. At the self checkout the lines are long, even at the upscale stores around here. The more we use them, the more we are accepting to more and more automation.

[DetlefK]

15. Sci-fi-novel "Lord of All Things" by Andreas Eschbach

https://www.amazon.com/Lord-All-Things-Andreas-Eschbach/dp/1501279548

A nerdy guy invents a technology that perfects robot-labor: Nobody will have to work ever again. Robots will do EVERYTHING.

There is a scene where he's looking for investors to finance his first prototypes of this technology. Out of these prospective investors, there's a texan tycoon who asks this question:
"Why would I support a technology that will make my wealth meaningless? I employ a house-maid who makes a divine guacamole. Why would she make this guacamole for me, if she no longer has to work at all?"


EDIT: If you no longer do a certain job because of robots, what happens to the people who are exceptionally good at this job?

[Bear Creek]

50. Another one

With Folded Hands, it is a read.

[bigtree]

18. the managers do the scanning at our stores, so this wouldn't reduce their hours

...and probably won't affect their pay.

Scanning is a pain in the ass and I don't think anyone will complain, but I can't see these 'robots' supplanting the entire ordering process. There is still going to be work coming from a more diligent scan and the increase in product it will potentially provide to be stocked to the shelf.

That's just my two cents, 33 years in retail as a clerk and manager.

[Orrex]

20. An even bigger problem, IMO...

Is that idiots will point to this and say "See? This is what you get when you ask for a $15 minimum wage."

Employers would still use robots if the minimum wage were $3/hour.


Beyond the fact of direct job replacement, the presence of this kind of robot will provide powerful (though false) ammunition for pro-corporate opponents of a livable wage.

[WinkyDink]

22. "save employees time" is the ever-complicit MSM propaganda arm of the wealthy.

[lunasun]

26. I-Increase real time stock knowledge from manufacturing floor to store shelf.Errors and payroll gone

Down time etc they will work out the kinks. New generations robots will improve big leaps everytime I bet

[longship]

30. A great opportunity for mega-selfies at the local Wally World.

Just put your mug in the way of the robot, over and over again.

FUN!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

34. Oh I'm sure we can get some legislation passed to equip the robots with tasers.

The Robot Stand Yor Ground Act of 2019

[Kaleva]

31. Is hiring a sex bot legal?

[Jim Beard]

33. Obviously you haven't bought a Cherry "2000"..........

You might want to cover your ears after some of our female members see this.

Here is another clip..........

[eleny]

37. Sounds like point of sale software doesn't work very well

[Le Gaucher]

39. POS can tell you stock on hand.

But my guess - stock on hand info is no good if the shelves are jumbled and customer doesnt find things

[eleny]

46. POS keeps track of inventory by logging what's been sold

But you're surely right about shelves being in a jumble. Just yesterday I saw a loaf of bread stuffed into the big tortilla rack at my King Soopers. someone changed their mind and didn't want to trek back to the bread aisle. Stores are so big these days.

[Irish_Dem]

38. I so much want a robot. I hope I have one before I die.

My life long dream!!

[hunter]

45. Robots will be wonderful if we can build a Star Trek economy to go with them.

It won't work if the only people profiting from automation are the uber-wealthy.

With increasing automation we could have shorter work weeks, a comfortable minimum income for people who are unemployable for whatever reason, paid vocational training for those displaced by robots, etc..

All the back breaking, mind numbing, and dangerous jobs ought to be automated.

Comfortable living minimum wages and a steeply progressive taxes will get us there.

"Trickle down" economy tax breaks for the wealthy won't.

[Kaleva]

58. Star Trek economy. Where the excess labor force wore red shirts.

[HughBeaumont]

51. Mother Jones offers a more stark and alarming picture.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/10/you-will-lose-your-job-to-a-robot-and-sooner-than-you-think/

So who benefits? The answer is obvious: the owners of capital, who will control most of the robots. Who suffers? That’s obvious too: the rest of us, who currently trade work for money. No work means no money.

But things won’t actually be quite that grim. After all, fully automated farms and factories will produce much cheaper goods, and competition will then force down prices. Basic material comfort will be cheap as dirt.

Still not free, though. And capitalists can only make money if they have someone to sell their goods to. This means that even the business class will eventually realize that ubiquitous automation doesn’t really benefit them after all. They need customers with money if they want to be rich themselves.

One way or another, then, the answer to the mass unemployment of the AI Revolution has to involve some kind of sweeping redistribution of income that decouples it from work. Or a total rethinking of what “work” is. Or a total rethinking of what wealth is. Let’s consider a few of the possibilities.

Of course, since this is America, where we have an economic system that's awesome in CREATING wealth but incredibly piss-poor when it comes to DISTRIBUTING that wealth, I don't feel anything's going to change and it's going to become Mad Max.

[yallerdawg]

54. The future is here.

https://medium.com/basic-income/the-real-story-of-automation-beginning-with-one-simple-chart-8b95f9bad71b