The robots are leaving Amazon’s warehouses.
  • ch00f@lemmy.worldEnglish
    130·
    6 days ago

    Amazon announced using drones in 2014. In pop culture, drone delivery is like an assumed common practice. Yet fucking nobody gets their packages delivered by drone. It’s been over a decade.

    These robots are vaporware. Amazon will get a stock bump and that’s the whole point.

    • Zetta@mander.xyzEnglish
      3·
      5 days ago

      Amazon just rolled out their first production drone delivery SSD site in Phoenix. It’s sorta shit though.

      Zipline is way more interesting and I cant wait for them to go live in my area.

    • IsThisAnAI@lemmy.worldEnglish
      22·
      5 days ago

      Airspace rules are a huge factor there. I see delivery robots on the sidewalk often enough though.

      I suspect most companies are still waiting out the testing and waiting for costs to be reduced.

  • PumpkinSkink@lemmy.worldEnglish
    12·
    4 days ago

    No they fucking aren’t. That shit would be so much more expensive than a person. Liars, and not even particularly good ones.

    • mostlikelyaperson@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      2 days ago

      Yup, and people seem to frequently underestimate how ridiculously expensive running a fleet of humanoid robots would be (and don’t seem to realize how comparatively low the manual labor it’d replace is paid.)

    • Basic Glitch@lemm.eeOPEnglish
      5·
      4 days ago

      I mean apparently they’re partnering with a private robotics company. The picture is an actual model of the company’s robot. Whether or not they actually end up implementing this, they’re allegedly currently training the robots.

      Presumably, if nothing else, Amazon/Bezos is probably getting some sweet federal kick backs to attempt this and further the current administration’s agenda to beat “Gyna” in the science and tech race. Except unlike Gyna, the U.S. is firing all of their scientists (which, until Jan. 2025, was one area that the U.S. had unquestionably dominated China) bc they think AI can replace them too.

      So now, they’re just handing all the resources to the kind of technocratic “elites” who are used to just purchasing their good ideas, rather than actually creating anything. This is also why they seem to genuinely believe something like Amazon humanoids is a sound investment, “durr, we don’t need people bcuz we haz robots.”

      Fun fact, just learned they are indeed going to try to replace scientists with robots too. There was a meeting about it yesterday:

      For all we know they made the futuristic robot exoskeleton, took some fancy pictures of it holding a package, and that’s all she wrote. The end result is just some rich assholes are slightly richer at the expense of the tax payer, and we should be grateful. 'Merica! 🇺🇲

      • emergencyfood@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        3·
        4 days ago

        Amazon/Bezos is probably getting some sweet federal kick backs

        I think it’s more a threat against employees. The robots can be used as scabs.

        which, until Jan. 2025, was one area that the U.S. had unquestionably dominated China

        China had more scientists and papers well before this year. And China dominates particularly in fields like maths, computer science and manufacturing.

        they are indeed going to try to replace scientists with robots

        I can actually think of a lot of uses for robots in research. And, of course, there are a lot of robots in labs already; they just don’t look like humans.

        • Basic Glitch@lemm.eeOPEnglish
          11·
          4 days ago

          More scientists and data, but research quality in China has been very poor for quite some time, hence a lot of questions and concerns regarding methods, data collection, and number of retracted articles.

          The entire idea of the “China virus” and the Trump/Republicans lab leak/attack on NIH funding to EcoHealth, and their collaboration with Wuhan Institute of Virology, hinged on pointing out the lack of lab safety standards in China that wouldn’t have allowed the research to occur here.

          On the flip side, now that Trump is in power, OSTP is focused on removing regulations to science and tech bc they argue they are slowing us down in the AI race against China.

          Kinda seems like a load of BS especially considering AI data in China is very poor likely bc of the lack of regulations

          https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/8/9/china-wrestles-with-quantity-over-quality-in-generative-ai-patents

          • emergencyfood@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
            2·
            4 days ago

            I think it would be more correct to say that quality control in Chinese science is very poor. I have seen top quality research, and I have also seen crap that should not have been published at all. But the sheer quantity of output means that the next big discovery in <insert field> will be from China.

            OSTP is focused on removing regulations to science and tech bc they argue they are slowing us down in the AI race against China.

            I don’t work on AI, but in my field I have seen the insane speed and scale of Chinese research. Now I’m from a developing country; the US can probably give better funding than we can, but I am inclined to agree that Chinese science does benefit from easier and better funding and a faster administrative process.

            AI data in China is very poor likely bc of the lack of regulations

            The big problem for AI research in China seems to be a shortage of high-end GPUs due to the trade wars. China is very strong in maths and comp sci, and they are finding workarounds, but it is still a pretty hard barrier.

    • feddup@feddit.ukEnglish
      2·
      4 days ago

      Just like when they were going to replace all their delivery drivers with drones. It’s just bullshit.

  • throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    35·
    5 days ago

    Bro that is so gonna get HitchBot’ed

    a photo was tweeted, showing that the robot had been stripped “beyond repair” and decapitated in Philadelphia. The robot was located by some people following its progress on its website. The head was never found.

    Also, like… if you wanna replace human workers, fine, just give us the UBI.

    Otherwise, riots would be justified.

  • Ledericas@lemm.eeEnglish
    14·
    5 days ago

    everyone knows its just going to be indians in a data center in india controlling the bots.

  • Lovable Sidekick@lemmy.worldEnglish
    18·
    5 days ago

    I tend to disbelieve this, mainly because a humanoid robot would be overkill. Custom-purpose robots would be much cheaper to design, build and maintain, with fewer potential failure points.

    • crimsonpoodle@pawb.socialEnglish
      5·
      5 days ago

      Eh I dunno there’s so much infrastructure that is human centric; if you could make a humanoid robot it could easily traverse all the human designed places

      • Lovable Sidekick@lemmy.worldEnglish
        8·
        5 days ago

        The main problem is walking on unpredictable terrain, which spidery or doggy robots can do with fewer balance issues than two-legged humanoid ones.

        • trashboat@midwest.socialEnglish
          3·
          5 days ago

          Also doors and gates

          They may also have concluded that the public finds a humanoid robot more acceptable than those cube 4-wheeled robots that never took off that people like to tip and kick over and stuff

  • last_philosopher@lemmy.worldEnglish
    81·
    4 days ago

    Let’s count the problems:

    1. Up front cost
    2. Maintenance cost
    3. Varied problems like different types of stairs, tripping hazards, etc.
    4. People attacking or stealing robots and their packages.
    5. Safety issues with 100+ pound metal robots falling on pets and children

    Any others?

    • CheeseNoodle@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      3 days ago

      Rain? I know its not going to fall over and shoot out sparks like a cartoon but rain does mess with visibility and grip, plus this is a robot with a lot of joints and moving parts that’s probably going to be maintained by someone who has to pee in a bottle so the cartoon falling over and shooting sparks isn’t actually out of the question.

  • xektop@lemmy.zipEnglish
    12·
    5 days ago

    So, from what little research I did the robots cost from 5000$ to 500000$, as most articles point out the advanced robots cost 200000-300000$. In a lot of places around the world that’s like paying a human for 8-10 years. Humans are easily “replaceable”, where those robots have maintenance cost additional to the initial “investment”. How is that feasible in the eyes of the big money oligarchs? I genuinely don’t understand the end goal here.

    • mustbe3to20signs@feddit.orgEnglish
      14·
      5 days ago

      I don’t think they really plan to replace workers with robots. It fulfills two other purposes:

      • Keep the work force humble by threatening them with permanent replaceability.
      • Keep the stock holders happy. This shit simulates “innovation” like the delivery drones 10 years ago.
      • MangioneDontMiss@lemmy.caEnglish
        4·
        5 days ago

        if its actually feasible and it reduces cost, then it will be the plan. right now though, its bullshit. As soon as people start stealing and destroying these 5000-500000 dollar robots all of the potential profit goes out the window.

        • mustbe3to20signs@feddit.orgEnglish
          5·
          4 days ago

          I may lack imagination but I can’t see a future where the materials and skills needed to build such robots get cheap enough to replace humans.
          Especially if they get trashed and stolen every once in a while.

          • squaresinger@lemmy.worldEnglish
            4·
            4 days ago

            Even if you make them in large quantities, material cost alone will be at least €50k. You will need a skilled operator nearby, and constant maintainance, and if you lose even one per year, a regular underpaid human worker will be much cheaper.

            These things are pure marketing devices to pacify investors, generate headlines and make unions and workers afraid.

    • outhouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      5·
      4 days ago

      The labor aspect of class politics is complicated.

      But you don’t have to understand any of it to think stealing these would be cool as fuck.

        • outhouseperilous@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
          4·
          4 days ago

          The only ‘delivery guy’ i ever met who got paid even close to six figures (and that doesn’t include operation+maintenance) spoke like a million languages, had advice for how much to bribe border guards in various countries and currencies, most of which no longer exist, and may have had ties to the state department.

          And i feel like thats not the kind of delivery guy amazon is trying to replace with these.

    • lazyViking@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      4 days ago

      Yes, because nothing new is ever reduced in price and improved upon after research phase is finished

  • megabat@lemm.eeEnglish
    242·
    5 days ago

    I can’t wait to throw a Faraday blanket over one of these and jtag some open source firmware on it. What do you mean steal? I didn’t steal anything, I just repurposed some garbage left on my front step!

  • frazw@lemmy.worldEnglish
    261·
    6 days ago

    Amazon 1 year after launch: Unfortunately, the space needed for robots in the van means that the van has to return to base 5 times more often to reload with the actual packages and the extra weight of robots more than doubles the weight of the van being lugged around in the form of heavy robots. So that’s why we are having to charge more for delivery and why it is taking longer for you to get your packages. But at least we can pay fewer salaries.

    • ChapulinColorado@lemmy.worldEnglish
      161·
      5 days ago

      Also we don’t pay taxes but will fuck up the roads with the extra weight. Good luck driving over potholes suckers!

    • bluGill@fedia.io
      2·
      5 days ago

      That is still better for both the environment and safety than everyone going to the store seperately in their own car. (Transit or walking of course are still better yet).

      • 5too@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        5 days ago

        Why is that the comparison, though? Sears developed mail-order catalogues in the 1800s. That’s what Amazon replaced.

  • thatradomguy@lemmy.worldEnglish
    71·
    4 days ago

    Yo why tf can’t they just fucking pay people a reasonable wage AND give them sane working conditions? This is insane. Capitalism does not favor anyone except the rich. It’s time to tear down this wall of mediocrity and face the facts. No sense of government intervention will fix this. It must all be rewritten entirely.

    • squaresinger@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      4 days ago

      Because it’s not real. It’s purely for marketing, not for actual wide-spread implementation.

      Even in the best of cases, even factoring in economy of scale and all that, a robot like that will cost upwards of €50k at least, probably closer to double that, will require constant maintainance, and the risk of vandalism or accidental damage is really high. And you’ll likely need a (skilled) human operator nearby anyway, because the delivery vehicle doesn’t drive itself.

      The purpose of projects like this is marketing and public perception.

      • The company looks futuristic and future proof. That’s good to get investors.
      • The company looks like they could replace humans with robots at any time. That’s good with negotiations with unions and workers.
      • The company gets into headlines worldwide. That’s advertisement they don’t have to pay for.

      This robot is not meant to ever go mainstream. Maybe there will be a handful of routes where they will be implemented for marketing purposes, but like drone delivery and similar gimmicks, it won’t beat a criminally underpaid delivery human on price, and that’s the only metric that counts for a company like Amazon.

  • Vanilla_PuddinFudge@infosec.pubEnglish
    20·
    5 days ago

    The robot then encounters the entirely unpredictable American rural south

    staircases half busted up surrounded by weeds and gravel roads full of holes

    robots fucked with by kids who are now tying it to a tree with bungie cords for fun

    one being dragged off in the background by a dude with a welding mask on

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