No they fucking aren't. That shit would be so much more expensive than a person. Liars, and not even particularly good ones.
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! 🇺🇲
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.
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
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.
Just like when they were going to replace all their delivery drivers with drones. It's just bullshit.
Let's count the problems:
Any others?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Study the weak points, make true your aim. The inevitable human-robot war draws nearer.
The robot dogs police are starting to use has a two big red buttons, one on the face and one on the ass. Just jam your finger or pointer end of your rifle and it returns to station or shuts down.
I feel like we're going to end up with more laws protecting robots and surveillance cameras than our own civil liberties.
Wonder where all those angry white guys with tiki torches and khaki shorts are now? The ones that thought the Jews were trying to replace them? 🤔
everyone knows its just going to be indians in a data center in india controlling the bots.
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.
I don't think they really plan to replace workers with robots. It fulfills two other purposes:
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.
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.
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.
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.
The cost of an employee is far higher than just their pay though.
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.
When the mask comes off, humans will revolt. Robots won't.
Or, that's the delusion.
Didn't they just have two or three drone crashes within minutes of takeoff recently, not sure I really trust Amazon with this stuff.
Anything to avoid one of the richest people in the world paying his employees a livable wage.
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.
Yeah, humans regularly deliver stuff wrong on our street. There is no way robots will manage. I get packages for both by neighbours and they get mine more often than correct deliveries and one of my neighbours is a business.
If I get one of those, I'm definitely killing it and stealing its copper. Amazon can pay for the repairs.
I'm clubbing the bot in the head and stealing it's batteries.
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.
Just one shitty makeshift EMP and that thing is toast.
They will train it so well, it will even collapse like a human when overworked! https://youtu.be/6Kp5qrCExps . I recognized that bot from the photo.
Wanna bet its 7000 Indian workers again?
Package delivery simulator, pre-order on steam
Evil genius level right here
I imagine they will scale back robot design and just throw from the truck.
This makes me wonder what the benefit of bipeds are for this over something like iBot's multi wheel design. I get it makes sense for rubble or debris, but for halls and stairs multi wheel seems better and more refined.
Edited for autocorrect.
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!
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.
Amazon still can't even figure out how to reliably get human drivers door passcodes into an apartment building, and then into its mail/package locker room.
The map system it uses for telling drivers how to get around a city to make deliveries is also garbage, can't account for traffic, punishes people for using faster side routes to get to the same place, tells you to park in areas that either have no parking at all, or where parking there would majorly disrupt traffic, or assumes available street parking will always exist in places and times it almost never does.
I once did an Amazon delivery gig where they booked me in for the time slot, I get to the FC, after waiting an hour they tell half of us: 'oops we booked too many drivers, so today you all get $200 for showing up and doing nothing, go home now'
???
or assumes available street parking will always exist in places and times it almost never does.
That explains all the amazon vans parked in the middle of the fucking street.
Yep!
Drivers have to visit an absolutely absurd number of locations in a small block of time, so if they attempt to park like a sane member of society, they'll be fired very quickly.
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
