The future arrives as AI boom takes over jobs after the pandemic

In the year 2020, millions of jobs were lost by the pandemic, more specifically up to 114 million jobs globally, according to the International Labour Organization. However, this is an underestimation of the full extent of employment losses as a result of the pandemic.

The deployment of machines to replace humans may increase significantly in the coming years as companies figure out ways to manage businesses amidst a pandemic. The inducement to supersede human work with machines appears to strengthen as companies find new and lasting options that not only help businesses stay afloat, but also spur an economic recovery. Machines do not need to social distance, nor do they fall ill or require sick days. This way businesses are able to carry on while abiding by coronavirus guidelines.

Although employment losses were immense, new developments in robotics and artificial intelligence will continue to displace human workers before they are even given a chance to return to work. Suddenly, robots were seen taking temperatures at doors, patrolling vacant property, cleaning floors and calculating money at checkout. In addition, further steps were taken to even create cafes monitored under a robot system. 

In Daejeon, South Korea, a robot glides its way to customers seated at tables in a 24-hour, unmanned cafe with drinks in hand. The cafe, named Storant, which stands for smart automatic restaurant, opened in May 2020 during the height of the pandemic. 

The coffee making robotic arm can make up to 60 different types of coffees, and the robot server is able to carry four drinks at a time. A customer uses a digital kiosk to order an iced Americano, and the robot arms immediately starts making the coffee in the barista booth. 

“Here is your iced Americano, please enjoy. It’s even better if you stir it,” the robot server says as it makes its way to customers.

The tables were arranged in a way to ensure that the serving robot could glide toward customers without any issues, and the self-driving technology allows them to determine the best routes in the cafe. The robots are able to communicate and transmit information with each other, coming to each other’s aid to help deliver drinks when the cafe becomes busier.

When finished with delivering the drinks, the robot servers automatically move toward the docking system installed in the wall to recharge.

The coffee shop operates with only one human employee, a patissier who refills the ingredients for the robots to use and keeps the cafe tidy.

Vision Semicon, a semiconductor company located in Daedeok Innopolis, confirmed plans to create a network of at least 30 cafes, according to the Daily Mail.

“With the way things are right now, minimizing that close, face-to-face interaction is a widely-held preference, and might even set the precedent for all jobs related to customer service going forward,” Granada Hills Charter High School senior Eric Choi said. “But ultimately, I think this is just one of the effects that always comes with using new technology to try and improve our everyday lives. It’s just one of those things that we as humanity are going to have to figure out together in the near future.”