> We like interacting with other people more than we like interacting with machines I remember a '70s article in which Bank of America, I think, said that they

> We like interacting with other people more than we like interacting with machines I remember a '70s article in which Bank of America, I think, said that they wouldn't be rolling out ATMs like one of their competitors because customers prefer interacting with a warm friendly pretty teller, not a machine. We know how the ATM vs human teller preference worked out. (I even have to stick the word "human" in there for clarity because "teller" is almost an archaic word.) > People wouldn't stop going to Starbucks People go to Starbucks or similar coffeehouses for many reasons. Better coffee than at home, chance to get away from home or the office, solitude (yes, ironically, you can have more privacy or alone time in a Starbucks than at home or office). I figure that a Starbucks that was completely automated with no employees and little social interaction, but otherwise identical to a normal Starbucks, would still be quite popular.