The fact that this made it to the news cycle is indicative enough of the airbnb owner smelling money once they found out a robotics company is involved, regardless of the extent of damage/wear
This kind of simping is surely indicative of something.
SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
81–90 of 169 posts
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#82This is just the most perfect Silicon Valley microcosm. How many startups work is they simply break the law. The gamble is that you can get big enough fast enough that you can then lobby for a change in the law before governments catch up. Uber and Airbnb are like the posterchildren for this. Taxi services are regulated. You can't run an illegal hotel in a residential area. Simple. So what we have here is another com…
If it can clean a kitchen, it can cook meth. Probably.
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#83The only way to stop this is for charges to be brought against the employees who made the bookings under false pretenses.
Why should this be criminal and not civil?
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#84Can any lawyer clear this up for me? If the company ends up having no commercial success and the lawsuits for damages rack up, can they just close the company file for bankruptcy and face no consequences? Or is there some civil or criminal risk to this behaviour?
Usually you just hear about people suing the company, they are easier to collect from. Often they have insurance that will pay out a claim that is faster to pursue than a lawsuit. And if the damages are really large a single employee could go bankrupt. Also because the company is vicariously liable for the actions of their employees in the scope of their duties.
But anyone that personally causes damage through negligence or intentional acts can be sued personally as well. If the employer is bankrupt the employees involved would be the only ones pursued. And these damages are relatively small individually, bankruptcy is not an issue.
Also there are some exceptions to the limited liability for company owners or directors like for illegal activity and fraud.
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#85> Founded by alums of Tesla and the autonomous vehicle company Cruise, the San Francisco startup has received hundreds of millions in venture capital funding and is valued at $2 billion Stop outsourcing the cost of your vision to the rest of society. Especially when it’s peanuts to you and meaningful to, in this case, the host of what they call an apartment and you seem to think is a test course.
tbqh the airbnb owners are also outsourcing the externalities of short term rentals to make a quick buck. It's outsourcing all the way down
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
Human only "safe spaces" will be a thing. Where they draw the line will be the question.
These bots are going to arrive suddenly and in huge volume. I’m not sure when it will happen, but when it does, it will be extremely fast. The software is basically ready, and the hardware isn’t too far off. The processing latency will be problematic but with local inference improving quickly, this will all come together into the perfect storm for the arrival of the bot army. I don’t think any of us are prepared for…
The software is not basically ready. You’ll see actually good demos long before it’s really ready, and we haven’t seen them yet.
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#87The only way to stop this is for charges to be brought against the employees who made the bookings under false pretenses.
Why should this be criminal and not civil?
They intended to defraud this home owner engaged under contract for their own profit. This wasn't unforeseeable or accidental damage nor due to a misunderstanding on their part.
It's also not a dichotomy. It can be both criminal and civil. Victims always have the right to seek compensation in parallel with criminal punishment.
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#88[deleted]
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#89> Founded by alums of Tesla and the autonomous vehicle company Cruise, the San Francisco startup has received hundreds of millions in venture capital funding and is valued at $2 billion Stop outsourcing the cost of your vision to the rest of society. Especially when it’s peanuts to you and meaningful to, in this case, the host of what they call an apartment and you seem to think is a test course.
tbqh the airbnb owners are also outsourcing the externalities of short term rentals to make a quick buck. It's outsourcing all the way down
Two wrongs don't make a right.
Re: SF startup is testing robots in Airbnbs, and trashing them, lawsuit claims
#90> Founded by alums of Tesla and the autonomous vehicle company Cruise, the San Francisco startup has received hundreds of millions in venture capital funding and is valued at $2 billion Stop outsourcing the cost of your vision to the rest of society. Especially when it’s peanuts to you and meaningful to, in this case, the host of what they call an apartment and you seem to think is a test course.
> Stop outsourcing the cost of your vision to the rest of society.
They won't because that's a fundamental principle of the model they believe in.