Wheelchair robots at Miami Intl Airport

➡ Marjorie shares her experience with robot wheelchairs at Miami International Airport. She describes how these autonomous wheelchairs navigate the airport, even interacting with people blocking their path. She also discusses the potential impact of such technology on jobs, referencing a prediction that by 2030, 40% of jobs could be done by robots and AI. Marjorie suggests that people should start growing their own food and find work they love as a response to this potential shift in employment.

Hey, this is Marjorie. You know, I’m here in Miami International Airport and I have just had a very interesting experience. So I’m standing there, you know, in my gate waiting for, you know, you’re waiting, right? Because you got time. And I see this unoccupied wheelchair rolling by itself down the middle of the, down the middle of the aisle way here. You’ve got these wheelchair robots now and it’s very, very interesting. I’m gonna splice in some footage for you here. It was really freaky. So I’ve been playing with them now and I jumped out in front of one and it stopped, you know, and I sat in it and it’s got a brake on on the right hand side and it’s got a thing where you’re supposed to put in your, put in your phone or something to give it directions on the other thing.

Anyway, it’s really hilarious. Also, I saw, I followed one for a while, right? I followed it around and it hits, it’s going down the middle of the lane and it, and I wish I’d have recorded this, and it hits, you know how there’s, there’ll be a big wad of people, like, because the line’s spilling out, they’re getting ready to load and, and it hits, it goes right into that, right? And it stops because, you know, there’s, and it happened to have stopped in front of this huge guy, I mean 300 pounds, if anything, and he’s got these big white earphones on, he’s clearly into his music, right? And this thing stops, and it’s doing this, do, do, do, you know, do, do, do, and he’s not moving because his back is to the thing, he’s totally oblivious and, and then it changes its tone, it gets a little more insistent, it’s like, do, do, do, do, do, do, you know, it’s like talking to him, and then, and then he still doesn’t move and people around are kind of moving around a little bit, and then the cart says, excuse me, excuse me repeating this, excuse me, and eventually enough other people around the guy, like, tap him and go, hey, this, this robot wants to get through, and he moves, and the robot just keeps cruising on along down the thing.

So I’ve also been, you know, they still have lots of people, you know, pushing the manual ones around. I, I saw one that was empty, I didn’t want to bother anybody who’s actually getting to a gate, but I, I stopped this one guy and I said, hey, what is it? And they said, oh, those are those new robot wheelchairs they’re experimenting with, and I said, yeah, like, how long do you think you’re gonna have a job? Okay, here comes a woman pushing one, that’s her job. I’m like, how long do you think you’re gonna have your job? And he just, he really looks shocked.

There’s always gonna be something to do, right? I’m like, and I’m noticing, you know, there’s lots of people in an airport that are pushing cards, getting inventory here or there, you know, just moving stuff around. I’m like, man, how long do you think? Six months? A year? You know, we’re all making fun of these robots now. Anyway, I thought I’d just show you the trippy thing of my trip, latest trip. They’re here, they’re everywhere. You know, AI and robots. I don’t know if you ever saw that interview I did with Dr.

Kai-Fu Lee, that just was quite a few years ago, and he was saying, you know, by the end of 2030, at least 40% of jobs will be better done by robots and AI, and we’re gonna have massive, massive unemployment. We’re well into that, right? You can see it everywhere. So, as always, I’d recommend you start growing your own food and start finding something you love doing, because I think, I think that’ll always be a viable job. Okay, we’ll talk to you later as a bargery. [tr:trw].