> I never thought about this. Does McD's PR team have anything to say about it? I assume that a bunch of people have challenged them about it on Twitter or TikTok.
They probably ignore them, as they should - the same problem exists everywhere, from ATMs to door keypads to stores to self-checkout to tapping your card on stuff, etc.
> initially, replace cashier labour costs with new expensive machines,
Labor, like energy, is conserved in the system. It might be easier to counter proliferation of those systems if the narration was focused less about companies replacing labor on their side, and more on the fact that this labor gets transferred to the customers, who are now laboring for free for the company, doing the same things that used to be done better and faster by a dedicated employee.
You opened the door to walk into the McDonalds and never thought twice about it.
Re:Introducing Operator
by kridsdale3 on Friday January 24, 2025 @03:41PM
(#42816719)
At least the outside of the door is bathed in ultraviolet from outer space.
The key to me about the kiosks is: (1) initially, replace cashier labour costs with new expensive machines, and (2) medium-to-long term, upgrade the software with more and more "upsell" logic. This could be incredibly effective as a sales tactic. (Not withstanding the possibility, I fully agree with your final sentence!)
Can you imagine if a celebrity, like Kim Kardashian or David Beckham, lent their likeness for a fee to McD's to create an assistant that would talk with you during your order? (Surely, AI/ML can generate video/anime that looks/moves/sounds just like them.) I can foresee it, and it would be the near-perfect economic exploitation of parasocial relationships in a retail setting.