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OPINION
AI’s Human Crutch
Robots may remove some humans from their jobs, but AI will always need humans. It was recently revealed that Amazon’s celebrated AI-powered Just Walk Out technology in their stores relied on over 1,000 outsourced workers from India.?
Just Walk Out – equipped with cameras and sensors – claimed to revolutionize the supermarket experience by eliminating cashier counters, cashiers, and long customer queues.
Following accusations that the technology was bogus, the retailer clarified that workers were training the model’s algorithm by reviewing recorded video clips to ensure accuracy. They were not spying on the customers like security guards.?
Nevertheless, Amazon has removed Just Walk Out from Fresh grocery stores in the United States.
It’s a noble early attempt by Amazon – and reveals a lot about the role of humans in AI development.
How to train your AI?
Experts claim Amazon’s system failed in the U.S. because of a low sample size. A long queue after a 40-minute shopping trip does not really hassle some people. Maybe Just Walk Out will work better at convenience stores, which are designed for mass consumers on the go.?
Just Walk Out’s AI did not have enough data to learn from. It had to rely on people offshore to label these datasets and add context so that the machine could synthesize and integrate them into its system.
Even if Just Walk Out shops in the U.S. welcome plenty of customers, a human would still need to correct it initially.
If there’s one thing we can learn from this experiment is that you can’t remove humans from the AI equation. Human-in-the-loop is a core part of AI training.
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OFFSHORE & GLOBAL NEWS
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Virtual Cashiers Shake Up NYC Eateries
The remote work revolution is disrupting industries in unexpected ways. In New York City's dining scene, startup Happy Cashier is deploying virtual cashiers from the Philippines to greet diners, explain menus, and take orders via video call, slashing costs for restaurateurs.?
The service is currently used at a handful of Asian restaurants in Queens, Manhattan and New Jersey. Founder Chi Zhang, a former restaurant owner, expects rapid expansion to over 100 NYC restaurants by the end of the year.
Filipino offshore workers have also been actively monitoring Presto Automation, a provider of artificial intelligence (AI) drive-thru ordering systems.
The practice of paying Happy Cashier workers just $3 per hour has raised concerns about depressing industry wage standards. Reactions are mixed, with some viewing the virtual hosts as a lifeline for small businesses amid rising costs, while others worry about the long-term impact on the city's restaurant workforce.? ?
Here’s what else to know today: