Amazon’s innovative ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, which was initially hailed as a breakthrough in retail automation, has come under scrutiny after reports revealed it was completely foolproof. AI instead relies on manual human labor, especially low-wage workers in India. and Technology.
Development of ‘Just Walk Out’ technology
Introduced by Amazon in 2018, ‘Just Walk Out’ technology was designed to revolutionize the retail experience by allowing customers to enter the store, pick up the desired item, and exit without the need for traditional checkout processes. The system relied on sophisticated cameras and sensors within stores to track customers’ selections and automatically generate receipts for their purchases.
Amazon’s Role in Manual Labor
Contrary to Amazon’s claims of relying primarily on AI and technology to track customer purchases, a report by The Information has revealed that the company has used remote monitoring services based in India to track customer activities in stores. Cashiers have been used extensively. Instead of relying solely on cameras and sensors, 100 of Indian employees were tasked with manually tracking what customers were buying and taking from stores.
Outsourcing and job undercutting
The report highlighted that Amazon outsourced cashier work to India, hiring more than 1,000 employees for the purpose. However, the use of low-wage workers in India raised concerns about the exploitation of labor in job cuts and outsourcing practices.
Challenges and shortcomings
Despite its efforts to streamline the retail experience through ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, challenges emerged, particularly concerning the efficiency and accuracy of manual labor-based tracking. It reportedly took hours for outsourced employees in India to compile the data they tracked, causing delays in generating receipts for customers.
Transition to smart cart
In response to the limitations and shortcomings of ‘Just Walk Out’ technology, Amazon has announced its decision to replace it with smart carts. These innovative carts will enable customers to bypass traditional checkout lines, providing real-time visibility into their spending. Amazon spokesperson Carly Golden said the changes to Smart Cart are intended to address customer feedback and provide a seamless retail experience while ensuring convenience and transparency.
Conclusion
The revelation about Amazon’s reliance on low-wage Indian workers for its ‘Just Walk Out’ technology underlines the complexities and challenges associated with implementing advanced retail automation systems.
While technological innovations promise to increase efficiency and convenience, the human element remains critical in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of such systems. As Amazon transitions to smart carts, the focus has shifted to striking a balance between automation and human oversight to provide an optimal retail experience for customers.
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