I called Page One Bookstore today to see what time it closes. There’s only one Page One in the world and I figured if any business will answer the phone they would. Wrong. I had to wait until "press 8" just to find out the store hours. Aside from phone services, what else is becoming automated? Or perhaps I should ask, what isn’t?Now when you’re asked if you would like to Biggie Size your order of fries at McDonald’s you’re not talking to the person standing in the little glass window. You’re talking to someone thousands of miles away in California. The McDonald’s switchboard receptionist then enters your order and emails it to the teenager who hates his job standing behind the sliding glass. This is apparently thought to be more efficient and save time, translating to more money for the company that has already served over 1 billion. Cool or creepy?Don’t eat fast food? Don’t care what the double arches are doing? Home Depot was talking about installing tiny robots that live in the shopping carts to direct you to the appropriate aisle. Why bother with actually having the cute old men dressed in orange aprons slowly walk you to the carpet tacks and give you their personal opinion of which brand worked best when they built their own home in 1970?The world is turning automated. Are you ready?
Do You Speak Robot?
2 min read
