The robot that a company in Oregon is trying out for package delivery has a price tag of $250K, but as production ramps up, they hope to get the cost down to about $75K over time.
The big issue isn’t robots (which are already replacing retail employees—self-checkout anyone?) but opening restaurant and retail in the first place. Even with low minimum wages most restaurants fail, and the internet has been killing retail stores for years. What do you think happens when the cost of employees—already the biggest expense—increased by 1/3? More businesses fail and fewer are opened, that’s what. Is $0/hour really preferable to $10/hour?
Henry Ford began using the assembly line, using a lot of unskilled workers who only had to be taught one very small part of assembling a car, rather than a few who actually understood the whole process. He visited a friend who had gone a step further with his shoe factory, using robots to do the whole job. His friend was really proud until Ford asked him, " Well, yeah, but how many pairs of shoes do you expect those machines to buy in the next few years?"
Automation, if you’ll pardon the archaic term, is a fact and something we need to manage. Given our record in handling the Industrial Revolution it’s pretty clear that we’ll do it badly.
Wrong. McD’s is already using kiosks for ordering. Eliminating anywhere from 1-3 workers per shift. It has already begun.
What happens when Amazon perfects its automated fulfillment systems? The initial cost will be steep but the labor cost savings over 5-10 years will easily cover the expense.
If you want a living wage you have to ditch the part time job. Why do you expect a company to pay you $15.00 an hour when you only bring in $7.00 worth of business?
macky87 over 3 years ago
The robot that a company in Oregon is trying out for package delivery has a price tag of $250K, but as production ramps up, they hope to get the cost down to about $75K over time.
Denver Reader Premium Member over 3 years ago
Robots will improve.Heck, automation has already replaced lots of jobs. Will other human jobs arrive, perhaps.
Vangoghdog01 over 3 years ago
It does not matter how much the Minimum Wage is, it will never be enough to “make a living.”
christelisbetty over 3 years ago
We will never know, because the 1% believe they will never reach a maximum wage.
triathlete1066 Premium Member over 3 years ago
The big issue isn’t robots (which are already replacing retail employees—self-checkout anyone?) but opening restaurant and retail in the first place. Even with low minimum wages most restaurants fail, and the internet has been killing retail stores for years. What do you think happens when the cost of employees—already the biggest expense—increased by 1/3? More businesses fail and fewer are opened, that’s what. Is $0/hour really preferable to $10/hour?
Diane Lee Premium Member over 3 years ago
Henry Ford began using the assembly line, using a lot of unskilled workers who only had to be taught one very small part of assembling a car, rather than a few who actually understood the whole process. He visited a friend who had gone a step further with his shoe factory, using robots to do the whole job. His friend was really proud until Ford asked him, " Well, yeah, but how many pairs of shoes do you expect those machines to buy in the next few years?"
willie_mctell over 3 years ago
Automation, if you’ll pardon the archaic term, is a fact and something we need to manage. Given our record in handling the Industrial Revolution it’s pretty clear that we’ll do it badly.
Andylit Premium Member over 3 years ago
Wrong. McD’s is already using kiosks for ordering. Eliminating anywhere from 1-3 workers per shift. It has already begun.
What happens when Amazon perfects its automated fulfillment systems? The initial cost will be steep but the labor cost savings over 5-10 years will easily cover the expense.
Auntie Socialist over 3 years ago
If you want a living wage you have to ditch the part time job. Why do you expect a company to pay you $15.00 an hour when you only bring in $7.00 worth of business?