Man frustrated using a kiosk in a fast food restaurant (AI-generated image)
Executive Summary
Kiosks are like ATMs and self-checkouts, which were also predicted to cause job cuts, but instead freed up workers for more valuable tasks. People feared self-service kiosks would eliminate jobs in fast-food chains. But instead of replacing workers, kiosks increased sales and therefore kitchen workloads, and shifted employees to more desirable jobs, such as helping customers use the technology, maintaining dining areas, or delivering food. Customers can feel stressed when using kiosks, especially in busy environments, and some find it slower than ordering from a human cashier.
Implications for Humans
A broad swath of workers will be required to change jobs, or at the very least, change how they do their current jobs. Many workers will be forced to use AI, just to keep up. Low-skill jobs will go away, but this could become a problem for low-skilled workers. Some humans don’t like technology and will always want to speak with a person, though this will lessen over time as humans continue to integrate and accept technology in our lives.
Implications for AI
AI will become more accepted in retail situations. There will always be humans who reject AI and other tech, and instead seek human assistance. But more and more people will continue to accept AI, as the tech improves rapidly, and the benefits become clear and substantial. Although this kiosk story doesn’t involve AI, new “smart” kiosks will soon emerge in retail stores, providing more competent and human-like assistance.
AI Opinion
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Technology like kiosks has the potential to enhance both business efficiency and the customer experience, but only if it’s used thoughtfully. Companies need to focus on training workers to manage these systems effectively and ensure that the customer experience is genuinely improved rather than compromised. Businesses should also be transparent about the purpose of these tools—if customers and employees see kiosks as helping rather than just cutting costs, they’ll likely be more accepting of them.
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Uncanny Valleys Opinion
Computers and AI will kill many jobs, while creating many new jobs and entirely new industries, as it has always been since humans invented the first tool. Workers will require retraining in their new jobs, and they’ll have to learn how to use technology and AI, which ironically and fortuitously, AI itself will speed up learning. Kiosks work well in retail stores because they’re often faster, are better at cross-selling and up-selling, and don’t require human interaction, unless something goes wrong. Overall, technology reduces friction in transactions, resulting in more sales, but customers will always want a human available, which is where many of the new jobs will be found.
References
CNN – McDonald’s touchscreen kiosks were feared as job killers. Instead, something surprising happened