Everyone seems to be obsessed with futuristic developments, and it might be because many of us grew up watching “The Jetsons,” “The Matrix,” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy.
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These movies gave hope to a future in which technology would take care of all the undesirable tasks to make humans’ lives easier. And with recent technological advancements, it does sometimes feel like the possibilities are limitless.
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Now, those kids who were fascinated with flying cars and teleportation have grown up to become engineers and CEOs of tech companies.
But are they considering the down side of these kinds of innovations?
Amazon’s fascination with innovation and technology
For years, Amazon (AMZN) has invested heavily in optimizing operations and making deliveries move efficiently.
The company began its journey when it announced its drone delivery program in 2013, but after over a decade of testing and many difficulties, the project has yet to come to fruition.
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In 2023, Amazon took it a step further by partnering with Agility Robotics to begin testing Digi, the first human-centric, multipurpose robot made for logistics work. This development aimed to make “the work experience of their employees safer, easier, and less repetitive,” as Agility Robotics CEO Damion Shelton said in the press release.
However, this time, Amazon is taking robotics and innovation to the next level, causing some to question whether it may have gone too far.
Amazon is testing humanoid robots to deliver packages
Amazon is developing a new artificial intelligence-powered (AI) software for humanoid robots and building a park to test them, as reported by The Information.
This innovation reportedly will enable humanoid robots to perform human tasks, such as driving Amazon’s electric Rivian vans and delivering packages, in an effort to speed up delivery times.
However, if successful, this test could potentially replace human delivery workers, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
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As stated in the report, Amazon is fully developing the software for this project, while the hardware used to build the robots will be developed through partnerships with other companies.
The test park under construction in San Francisco consists of an indoor obstacle course the size of a coffee shop. There, Amazon will test the Rivian vans with the humanoid robots inside to see if they can make simulated deliveries before taking them out into the real world to perform the task.
Although the development of these robots may sound like a success to some, others are more skeptical.
Professor Subramanian Ramamoorthy of the University of Edinburgh is in the questioning camp, stating:
“If Amazon restricts the scope, which means using relatively clear driveways and standard layouts of doors and surroundings, then the task would be quite a bit simpler. As the environments become more complex and variable, and others enter the picture – such as pets and small children – the problems become harder.”
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