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Couldn't you argue that the majority of cars are built mostly with robots? There may not be a brake changing robot, but I bet there's a brake installing one. Wh

Couldn't you argue that the majority of cars are built mostly with robots? There may not be a brake changing robot, but I bet there's a brake installing one. When it gets to the point that the automated labor is cheaper than or more efficient to the human labor, you'd see the switch. Amazon is testing/using automated warehouse robots to stock their shelves- I imagine it would be a while until we did grocery stores with robots as it is a much less controlled environment and human beings are unpredictable. Plus running over a kid with a robot would be bad for all parties for a very long time. This is the nature of technological progress. The loom, the cotton gin, the automobile. They were thought exercises, then flights of fancy, then the differentiator between visionary adopters in the market, and then sometime later- the absolute bare minimum for being able to stay in the market. AI everything/everywhere isn't that realistic- not because of feasibility necessarily, but because of the perceived value or lack their of for any given application. But as a means to replace rote, occasionally hazardous and/or arduous tasks, I feel like that would be a great place to start. No workman's comp when someone falls off a ladder or makes a mistake. No father or mother that dies on the job when an improperly placed load shifts and collapses on someone. 24/7 shifts that don't involve working people to death or mental failure. We're probably a few decades out at least, but we'll get there. Hopefully gracefully enough to figure out what to do with a swathe of society that's been made redundant.

stephengillie 10y ago
Amazon is one of the few groups advancing this way, and I applaud them. Most grocery stores close at night, so a robot colliding with a child wouldn't be an issue. Cars do have a high level of automation, but much of the interior still has a human operator. The AI puts a seat or door flap in roughly the right position, then the human centers it and triggers the drill motor that turns the screw and secures it in place.
internaut 10y ago
> Couldn't you argue that the majority of cars are built mostly with robots? There may not be a brake changing robot, but I bet there's a brake installing one. When it gets to the point that the automated labor is cheaper than or more efficient to the human labor, you'd see the switch. For a different perspective you should look at Toyota's business model. And Moravec's Paradox. The companies (mostly American) which follow the paradigm you're describing tend to have flashy but less valuable products because they break down more frequently. If you examine the car market you'll notice Toyota vehicles have a huge premium. This is because customers know they are reliable. It is easy to say "oh, we won't be naive about automation, we'll do it properly", but in practice not many companies manage to do this because the savings from automation are an obvious win, the hiccups come later.

stephengillie 10y ago

Amazon is one of the few groups advancing this way, and I applaud them. Most grocery stores close at night, so a robot colliding with a child wouldn't be an issue. Cars do have a high level of automation, but much of the interior still has a human operator. The AI puts a seat or door flap in roughly the right position, then the human centers it and triggers the drill motor that turns the screw and secures it in place.

internaut 10y ago

> Couldn't you argue that the majority of cars are built mostly with robots? There may not be a brake changing robot, but I bet there's a brake installing one. When it gets to the point that the automated labor is cheaper than or more efficient to the human labor, you'd see the switch. For a different perspective you should look at Toyota's business model. And Moravec's Paradox. The companies (mostly American) which follow the paradigm you're describing tend to have flashy but less valuable products because they break down more frequently. If you examine the car market you'll notice Toyota vehicles have a huge premium. This is because customers know they are reliable. It is easy to say "oh, we won't be naive about automation, we'll do it properly", but in practice not many companies manage to do this because the savings from automation are an obvious win, the hiccups come later.