Robot waiters: how AI to steal human jobs, even in Pakistan

[FalconsForPeace]

A restaurant in Multan recently became the center of attention not because of its taste but for its use of robotic waitresses, the first of its kind in Pakistan. The business of Syed Aziz Ahmed Jafari, owner of the fast food restaurant, boomed after he introduced this novel idea in his restaurant.

Syed’s son, Osama Aziz, an electrical engineering graduate, originally came up with the idea of employing robotic waitresses. The spectacle of robots serving food has since been stealing all the spotlights in Multan.

“Even people from other cities are coming to take a look at the robot and get served by it”, said the restaurant owner.

While it may be a novel experience in Pakistan, many Chinese and American restaurants started using robotic waiters as early as 2006. Though initially some of them proved quite incompetent, these worker robots however improved in their functionality with the passage of time, which resulted in more restaurants adopting the trend.

With Osama’s introduction of robots as waiters in Pakistan, it is more likely many others in the country will jump on the bandwagon of this technological innovation. The idea of robots serving food to customers is a fascinating one, and one that certainly attracts more customers who want to experience this technological innovation, especially kids who love getting served by robots.


However, novelty and fun part aside, there is an unintended down side to this idea, something whose effects we might only see in future, just like we have seen in China and many other countries.

Many human waiters have gone jobless after the introduction of robotic waiters by restaurants. The price of a robot is a one-time cost for the restaurant owner which is just a couple of months salary of a waiter.

Moreover, with the advancement in robotic technology and it becoming more affordable by the day, more and more restaurateurs will be tempted to do this one-time investment in robots and cut on the long term huge cost of employing humans as waiters.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is getting leaps and bounds in its bid to instill human-like intelligence in machines. Each step forward by AI puts many jobs at risk of being taken over by machines.

Kai-Fu Lee, an influential technologist from China who previously headed Google China and is the founder of venture capital firm Sinovation Ventures, recently said Robots were likely to replace 50 percent of all jobs in the next decade.

There are already calls for new laws to protect robots from stealing human jobs. Gerlind Wisskirchen, vice-chair of the global employment institute, said existing laws regulating employment and safety are becoming rapidly outdated and need to be revised to include human job safety from the AI and robotic over-take.

While the pace of robots taking over our jobs might be slow, especially in a third-world country like Pakistan, it is inevitable. It is thus necessary to introduce laws to protect human jobs from getting stolen by AI.


https://www.voj.news/robot-waiters-how-ai-to-steal-human-jobs-even-in-pakistan/

 

[SBUS-CXK]

I think it's a good thing. Because technology promotes social progress.

100 years ago, when the telephone and the automobile were invented. How many postman and coachman lost their jobs? But now we have express companies and e-commerce, each country has airlines to support our global travel.

So don't worry. Because the new technology has new jobs.

 

[navtrek]

I think it's a good thing. Because technology promotes social progress.

100 years ago, when the telephone and the automobile were invented. How many postman and coachman lost their jobs? But now we have express companies and e-commerce, each country has airlines to support our global travel.

So don't worry. Because the new technology has new jobs.

lesser jobs and more technically intensive jobs requiring high level of mastery in specific areas.

 

[SBUS-CXK]

lesser jobs and more technically intensive jobs requiring high level of mastery in specific areas.

No, the new job I'm referring to is the industry chain. A new technology is not independent, it needs industry chain support.

For example, e-commerce drives the development of express industries. So the courier belong to the high-tech worker?

 

[Strike X]

These robots in the restaurant is programmed, this is not AI.

Big difference. People don't seem to understand what AI is.

 

[Narcissist]

These robots in the restaurant is programmed, this is not AI.

Big difference. People don't seem to understand what AI is.

No, actually people just love to exaggerate and sensationlise everything in order to be clickbait.

Ever heard of that site upworthy.com - "what I saw left me in tears" "I will never be the same again"... BS

 

[navtrek]

No, the new job I'm referring to is the industry chain. A new technology is not independent, it needs industry chain support.

For example, e-commerce drives the development of express industries. So the courier belong to the high-tech worker?

I agree, I only added to your statement that the jobs taken out will be a lot more than that gets added as with technology there is a increase in efficiency reduce costs.

 

[DJ_Viper]

I think it's a good thing. Because technology promotes social progress.

100 years ago, when the telephone and the automobile were invented. How many postman and coachman lost their jobs? But now we have express companies and e-commerce, each country has airlines to support our global travel.

So don't worry. Because the new technology has new jobs.

You are making the same argument that people make without understanding the depth of the issue. In the 2nd and the 3rd human industrial revolution, machines were introduced and then computers came in. But all these required humans to operate them. Because of that, no job losses took place. In fact, globalization came about.

Now, these Robotics, don't need any human to "operate" them for daily work. So they can do whatever humans can do on 70-80% of the jobs (eventually, getting there around 2035). So in this case, humans are not needed to work. This is much different then when the machines came. Now humans are no longer require to operate anything. Only 10% of lost work force will be needed to manage these robots. So if you lose 2 billion jobs to Robots (which is expected by 2030), you'd only gain 10% of it back. So like 200 million jobs only out of 2 billion loss across the globe. We are going back to 1800's when people didn't have much to do, but with much more modernization, technology and robotics.

 

[SBUS-CXK]

I agree, I only added to your statement that the jobs taken out will be a lot more than that gets added as with technology there is a increase in efficiency reduce costs.

You are making the same argument that people make without understanding the depth of the issue. In the 2nd and the 3rd human industrial revolution, machines were introduced and then computers came in. But all these required humans to operate them. Because of that, no job losses took place. In fact, globalization came about.

Now, these Robotics, don't need any human to "operate" them for daily work. So they can do whatever humans can do on 70-80% of the jobs (eventually, getting there around 2035). So in this case, humans are not needed to work. This is much different then when the machines came. Now humans are no longer require to operate anything. Only 10% of lost work force will be needed to manage these robots. So if you lose 2 billion jobs to Robots (which is expected by 2030), you'd only gain 10% of it back. So like 200 million jobs only out of 2 billion loss across the globe. We are going back to 1800's when people didn't have much to do, but with much more modernization, technology and robotics.

Can you understand the concept of industrial chain?

 

[nana41]

I think it's a good thing. Because technology promotes social progress.

100 years ago, when the telephone and the automobile were invented. How many postman and coachman lost their jobs? But now we have express companies and e-commerce, each country has airlines to support our global travel.

So don't worry. Because the new technology has new jobs.

Unless Pakistan set herself a goal to become 2nd if not 1st world country in advance technology and stays in the race ( as of now there are no signs of it),introduction of AI in Pakistan will create more unemployment. Since majority of the people are not technical minded,or like computer savvy ,Artificial intelligence, I hope,will assist the workers and not displace them in future.

 

[Thetigerforces]

Robot waiters will not replace humans, most people prefer human interaction.

 

[Beny Karachun]

New technology means new, most of the times easier jobs.

 

[El Sidd]

peenay ko saaf pani nahi hai
roti kapra makaan ro raha hai sindh
punjab danish school me beh gaya

wah bhai sab apni apni duniya me reh rahe hai




and


that robot is susceptible to getting hacked. we all know McDonald paid heavily for a hot coffee vs crouch case

 

[war&peace]

The robot used in a restaurant in Multan will never replace any human since it lacks a lot of even basic movements. It has to go a a lot of major improvements being able to do a reasonable job. Also it has to be economical.