Amazon knows how to make waves. Whether they’re announcing new features for Prime members or getting us stoked on the idea of drone delivery, they know how to show off their new features to the world. On Monday, Amazon launched its newest venture — a convenience store from the future — and the world went berserk.
Amazon’s concept for a convenience store, called Amazon Go, totally eliminates the cash register. Like, completely. Customers enter the store and scan a barcode on their Amazon Go app. Then a high-tech system of cameras and artificial intelligence follows customers around the store as they pick up items and add them to their bags. At the end of selecting what they want, customers can just walk out. And just like magic, their Amazon account will be charged for what they took.
For now, the 1,800-square foot store in Seattle is only open to Amazon employees, but the e-retailer hopes to expand to over 2,000 stores nationwide. The first public store is expected to open in early 2017.
Opinions on Amazon Go have been incredibly divisive so far. While some are excited about the possibility of being able to dash in and out of a store with no wait, others are worried about the impact Amazon Go could have on jobs. Here’s the cost of the Amazon sale system — and this is why it could take over and take down cashiers.
🔮 Soon Moore's Law + AI as a service will allow for Amazon Go's Just-Walk-Out technology + Fusion Sensors = just a year's wage of a cashier.
— Brian Roemmele (@BrianRoemmele) December 6, 2016
How convincing is the case that technology is putting more jobs in danger than outsourcing? Well…
Textbook case as to how principal threat to jobs comes not from imports or offshoring but technological innovation https://t.co/M3kWVvL8LG
— Richard N. Haass (@RichardHaass) December 6, 2016
It’s estimated that 3.5 million Americans are employed as cashiers.
"How will Amazon Go technology affect jobs?" https://t.co/etB1Wr1R8p
— Brian Roemmele (@BrianRoemmele) December 6, 2016
But all in all, it’s still a very amusing idea at the moment.
*fresh peanut butter drips out of my coat*
officer no one is more surprised than I to hear that this Whole Foods is not in fact an Amazon Go— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) December 5, 2016
I'm playing this new Amazon Go game and all I've captured so far is a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese
— Bully, the L.S.B. (@bully_thelsb) December 5, 2016
Depending on how widely (and quickly) this technology spreads, it could put a lot of jobs in danger. But Amazon never said that it was going to completely eliminate all people from the store. Go stores will (most likely) still have to employ people to stock the shelves, do inventory, manage the floor and provide customer service. The entire shopping experience can’t be devoid of human workers… yet. But remember, we’ve all got to keep ourselves in check until it officially launches in early 2017 (it’s still in Beta mode and only available to Amazon employees at the moment).
And then there’s this important question that should make you reassess everything you thought you knew.
what if all shoplifters are just wayward Time Travelers trying to use Amazon Go? can they be pardoned?
— The Gregory Brothers (@gregorybrothers) December 5, 2016
(Photo via Amazon)
