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Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

reuters.com

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Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#391

Post by geodel »

gdy wrote: post #369
dzmien wrote: post #350

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I worked for Amazon in what was then a brand new warehouse for a few months in 2015. I worked 10 hour shifts, from 20:00 to 07:00 (the extra hour was for lunch and breaks). My job was picking orders. It seemed easy at first (and it was, but mentally, not so much). All I had to do was stand in one place while robots brought me pod after endless pod of products. There was nothing to it, and that was the problem. The po…

"And for $13.75 an hour, it definitely isn't worth it." A billion of people around the world would be happy to work with that hourly rate.

To add further there will be billion who would do as a daily rate.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#392

Post by geodel »

georgespencer wrote: post #388
pkaye wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not at the US cost of living. Nor would those billions of people be paid a that rate if their cost of living is lower than the US.

I think it's quite likely, but unknowable, that folks would accept the income:cost of living ratio of the US if it came with the associated sociological benefits. I think you're underestimating how disproportionately impoverished many people around the world are.

Well people here keep ranting about 1 percenters without ever realizing that >$100K earners are among one percenters in the world.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#393

Post by rootusrootus »

nerdponx wrote: post #380
pathseeker wrote: post #376

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, but amazon isn't known for low prices nor is it a monopoly. This will allow them to lower prices and become known for the lowest prices while still preserving their margin (if that's the market they want to target).

They aren't known for low prices? They are known for having the same prices as everyone else, with free or cheaper shipping, meaning that effectively the price is lower. And no, I'm not implying that they are a monopoly.

They have that reputation, but be watchful. Lots of things are more expensive at Amazon, now. What they're selling me is convenience more than anything else. I can often find lower prices elsewhere but it's more work.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#394

Post by toss1 »

"...builds boxes to size..."

That is a major feature. The inability of human packers to properly size boxes is merely wasteful for many products that come in their own packaging, but damaging and costly for Amazon's original product, books.

We've had so many book orders arrive damaged that we hardly ever shop at Amazon for books. They just toss them in a box that is too large, with some wadding material, and sent them off. Almost every time, the corners, covers and pages are damaged or torn. Returns more than once are frequent.

So, I'm very glad to see this on a micro level, and also on the macro-level of reducing waste, both in packaging material per box, and repeat shipments for shipping-damaged goods.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#395

Post by anthonypasq »

driverdan wrote: post #154
gridlockd wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A UBI in the salary range of an Amazon warehouse worker would be on the order of 1/3rd GDP.

UBI supporters always seem to forget that the money has to come from somewhere.

literally no one forgets this.

UBI haters somehow never fail to pretend as if no one has put an ounce of thought into how to pay for a proposal that intends on giving everyone free money.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#396

Post by irrational »

driverdan wrote: post #154
gridlockd wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A UBI in the salary range of an Amazon warehouse worker would be on the order of 1/3rd GDP.

UBI supporters always seem to forget that the money has to come from somewhere.

This is the part that confuses me about UBI. Why would anyone work if it became widespread? You could just stay at home and read, work on hobbies, do art, serve other people, play games, etc. instead of going to work. I pay tens of thousands of dollars in taxes, but if UBI was implemented I'd be paying nothing in taxes (assuming my UBI is not taxed - though, they tax social security, so they probably will tax UBI).

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#397

Post by jimmywanger »

athenot wrote: post #304
jimmywanger wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, if they could they would. They're keeping the workers they absolutely need and automating everything else possible. The endgame is a dark warehouse (no lights, the robots just sort of know what to do) but the workers still need some money so they keep working even though their numbers keep dropping. This box robot saves material (little wastage of cardboard) and labor costs, and doesn't ever call in sick. Why w…

> This box robot (…) doesn't ever call in sick. Any machine eventually calls in sick when it undergoes maintenance and failure. Of course the failure modes are different than with human labor, but the point is machines also fail.

>Any machine eventually calls in sick when it undergoes maintenance and failure. Of course the failure modes are different than with human labor, but the point is machines also fail.

I think that robots are more fungible and predictable in failure than humans. You can plan around that, like plugging in spare hard drives and machines when they fail so throughput is not affected.

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#399

Post by mactrey »

theflyinghorse wrote: post #176
logicprog wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where does the money for the yachet go?

To the yacht builders of course. There happens to be only a few of those however. I think if that money were to be spent by 10,000 people buying everyday groceries, cars, clothing the economic benefit would be far greater.

What do the yacht builders do with the money?

Re: Amazon rolls out machines that pack orders and replace jobs

#400

Post by Depooty »

asdfman123 wrote: post #114
amedvednikov wrote: post #67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UBI. Then we can be gleeful about more automation.

People need to feel useful to others. Right now, in the US, we fulfill that need through work. Work is an integral part of our culture. If you make a whole swath of the population feel redundant, especially practical, no-nonsense people who are used to having work define who they are, they are not going to adjust well. They are quite different than college-educated hippies who would rather get more education and go s…

Most jobs in the near term that will be automated are going to be low paying clerical (secretaries/data entry)/predictable physical jobs (think fast food prep). A lot of these people have to work multiple minimum wage jobs to support their families. You're delusional if you think all those people working at McDonald's get a sense of pride and worth every time they fill a container with fries.

I disagree with your assumption about education. A lot of people take pride in their knowledge. Most great scientists throughout history were basically trust fund babies. That's how they could afford to not work in a field and instead get educated and study science.

I want us to look at this the way we look at the invention of agriculture and not some dystopia where everyone is living in a slum. Agriculture freed up a lot of people from worrying about finding food. Do you think they were against growing grain and lost their sense of purpose because they didn't have to spend days running down deer? I seriously doubt it. This then led to people specializing in other fields. We see people becoming masons and building grand structures. Moving from militias to standing armies. Studying the stars leading to the ability to navigate the oceans. I think it's going to free up a lot of people who would have other wise been minimum wage indentured servants to have the ability to study and become great scientists or writers or doctors or whatever. Who knows how many great minds were wasted toiling away as a serf to some lord.

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