Technology

What is interesting about this particular machine is the way it mirrors the human body – it is about the size of a human being, has two legs and a screen that presents information at eye level. Similar to ATMs at banks and the self-checkout stations in grocery stores, human order takers have not been entirely eliminated but are currently offered as an option. The digital order taker is often seen as a convenience, time saver or perhaps the way to circumvent the messiness of interacting with a real person.

I spent some time observing how people interacted with this technology and found it interesting who chose to use the kiosk. It was usually younger adults or people in business attire that seemed to be in a hurry. I personally did not see groups or couples use the kiosk, they opted for the human being. Commerce used to ensure that people had at least some interaction with other fellow humans — no more. I fondly remember the commercial district adjacent to our home in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

All the businesses were locally owned and operated and we knew the owners and workers —  many of whom lived in the neighborhood. I recall the clerk at the drug store who regularly held our newborn son as my wife shopped.

There was a global survey taken to measure overconfidence, and students in the United States rank themselves the best in the world at math — the US ranks 36^th in math performance. Ironically, South Korean students consider themselves the worst at math and rank first in the world. Not surprisingly, people in technology rank highest in overconfidence. When administered an exam, individuals employed in the tech industry believed they got 95% of the questions correct when they averaged a mere 20%.  These are the individuals who are designing our experiences and determining how we will interact with each other moving into the future. The next time you order something on Amazon, use an ATM or go through the self-check aisle at the grocery store, consider what you might be giving up.