A customer asked me the other day if I thought there was any hope of robots taking over my job: bartending. I told her that I didn’t think it would happen anytime soon. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure it’s happened somewhere-probably a bar in Japan-but I just don’t see it catching on here for awhile. At least, unlike some customers, I hope not.
I’m sure a robot could recognize a regular’s retina and call them by name and pour their favorite drink or listen to an order and prepare it for a complete stranger. I’m sure it’s possible for a bar owner to save money in the long run because with a robot there are no (or at least fewer) mistakes and heavy pours. There’d be less dipping from the drawer (a habit some unscrupulous people practice). There’d be an instant database to settle disputes. There’d be no human errors or frailties. There’d be not attitudes from silly humans who don’t appreciate being talked down to by those they serve. There’d be no need for tips. And there’d be no need to interact with another human at all while you get a buzz on in a public place. I’m sure some would find this option attractive. Why deal with a human when you have an electronic slave, they might argue?
Machines have replaced humans in many aspects of human life: ATM’s instead of clerks at banks, Voice Menus on the phone instead of customer service representatives, and assembly-line machines that make other machines. All of these things and more have happened with more on the way. Thus, maybe I’m silly to think that I (and thousands like me) won’t be replaced someday by robots. And, I’m also sure the day will come that when only robots serve us, we may end up serving them. Who knows, maybe they’ll be better customers too. Hopefully they are programmed to tip well.
I’m sure a robot could recognize a regular’s retina and call them by name and pour their favorite drink or listen to an order and prepare it for a complete stranger. I’m sure it’s possible for a bar owner to save money in the long run because with a robot there are no (or at least fewer) mistakes and heavy pours. There’d be less dipping from the drawer (a habit some unscrupulous people practice). There’d be an instant database to settle disputes. There’d be no human errors or frailties. There’d be not attitudes from silly humans who don’t appreciate being talked down to by those they serve. There’d be no need for tips. And there’d be no need to interact with another human at all while you get a buzz on in a public place. I’m sure some would find this option attractive. Why deal with a human when you have an electronic slave, they might argue?
Machines have replaced humans in many aspects of human life: ATM’s instead of clerks at banks, Voice Menus on the phone instead of customer service representatives, and assembly-line machines that make other machines. All of these things and more have happened with more on the way. Thus, maybe I’m silly to think that I (and thousands like me) won’t be replaced someday by robots. And, I’m also sure the day will come that when only robots serve us, we may end up serving them. Who knows, maybe they’ll be better customers too. Hopefully they are programmed to tip well.
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Here's a joke about robot bartenders:
So this guy walks into a bar that has a robot bartender. The guy sits down at the bar, the robot comes over to him and says
"Hello sir, if you tell me your IQ, I can get the drink you want, and I am programmed to discuss topics relative to your IQ."
The guy says, "ok, my IQ is 160. So the robot gives him a top-shelf scotch on the rocks and they talk about problems inherent in rocket designs. The guy walks out to the parking lot, decides that was kind of fun, goes back in, the robot gives him the same speech, but this time he tells the robot his IQ is 115. The robot gives him a budweiser, and they talk about sports. The guy leaves, and once again, decides to come back one more time. Again, the robot gives him the spiel, and this time he tells the robot his IQ is 70. The robot gives him a frozen Margarita, and says to the guy "it's such a shame Kerry lost." (this can also be reversed to "Bush won" depending.)
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