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I went to a Panera this morning and across the street from that is a barbecue joint and I smelled the meat smoking. I was thinking that surely there has to be an automated way to smoke meat, removing it from smoker, etc. I'd say it would be expensive, but it may save money over the long run. Likewise, the attendants at most places could probably be eliminated with self-serve kiosks, especially if minimum wage increases occur.
Do you think there are a lot of jobs that could be automated with existing technology, but aren't?
Just because something can be automated, doesn't necessarily mean it should be. I actually do enjoy the human side of going to a restaurant or a grocery store. All day I'm in front of a PC or my smartphone and I do like a break from technology every once in awhile
You mention the BBQ joint, many of these are mom and pop so the food is hand made. I don't think businesses go into business for the purpose of "providing jobs". Most companies today are downsizing and running a very tight ship.
Well, I don’t know about “a lot”, and I’m not sure if the scenario you cite is viable. How long would it take to recover the investment of automation can vary a lot. And food places come and go relatively quickly making an investment in that type of automation pretty risky.
In general however, there is room for improvement in most processes. That goes for manufacturing, service industries, etc. That room may be automation or it may be re-organization or it may be something else. But it all leads to greater efficiency, which leads to a lesser amount of time needed, which leads to a lesser number of people needed.
There is a whole field of expertise that focuses on these types of efficiency improvements.
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Not many BBQ joints are big enough to justify the expense of automation, and those actually doing the cooking are often the owners, who take great pride in their "art". Perhaps that is a poor example? Panera, on the other hand, has reduced their need for employees by using apps and tablets for ordering and paying. There will be more of that in the near future, no business is likely to hire people just to create jobs, if not in their best interest financially. One of our frequent haunts for dinner out is BJ's Brewhouse. They are a "sit-down" restaurant, not fast food, but provide online ordering in advance from the smartphone app, and actually give a $5 discount if you pay by smartphone rather than wait for a waiter.
I went to a Panera this morning and across the street from that is a barbecue joint and I smelled the meat smoking. I was thinking that surely there has to be an automated way to smoke meat, removing it from smoker, etc. I'd say it would be expensive, but it may save money over the long run. Likewise, the attendants at most places could probably be eliminated with self-serve kiosks, especially if minimum wage increases occur.
Do you think there are a lot of jobs that could be automated with existing technology, but aren't?
All jobs, even your bosses job. You are provided a job because people need to a sense of belonging and purpose. The other aspect is that companies need consumers, without salaries there are no consumers and no business.
Which is why businesses that print money like banks and stock market driving businesses are bad because they don't have consumers. They play with monopoly money and they can easily automate everything which they are doing. They are just obligated by the govt to retain jobs or lose their tax breaks.
Define "long run", though. Restaurants in particular are notorious for slim profit margins and short life spans - if you're uncertain you will last long enough to reap the ROI, it's a horrible idea to install robots.
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