If you’ve been on TikTok, you’ve likely seen the rising trend of self-checkout mishaps—people accidentally scanning the same item twice, weighing produce incorrectly, fighting with those flimsy plastic bags, or running out of space in the tiny bagging area. It’s funny… until it’s you.
Let me be clear: I love technology. I named my ChatGPT assistant Jonathan and gave him a specific accent. I even launched an AI-powered podcast and after writing a full page of notes and a suggested title, I asked Johnathan to organize my notes and provide me with a first draft of this article.
So I’m not anti-tech. I like to cooperate with technology. However, I am also aware of how easily we’re lulled into accepting societal changes that weren’t necessarily for our benefit as individuals—but for the benefit of a company’s bottom line.
All Jobs Matter
Back to the checkout lane, I was raised to treat people with dignity and respect—especially those who serve others. And I value the trained professionals who’ve perfected the art of scanning items with speed and accuracy, bagging groceries and greeting grumpy customers with a smile.
Those jobs matter. And the people matter.
Personally, I was fine when there was a self-checkout express lane for individuals who had less than 15 items. Fast-forward 10 years and we’re lucky to find one lane with a human and a conveyor belt to help ring up a cart full of items.
However, on those days when I’ve wrapped a 14-hour work day at 8 or 9 pm, navigated the maze of my nearest Super Center retailer for 30+ minutes and it’s time to check out my 30+ items… I don’t want to work again. I don’t want to scan, bag, weigh, troubleshoot, delete double-scanned items, manage kids, wrestle with a bag that won’t open, or feel the probing of a camera 18 inches from my face– surveilling my every move– all while human workers helplessly watch me do what used to be their job.
Just Say No
I remember when fully automated banking was introduced inside bank branches. I was so disgruntled by it. The human tellers had a script. They were required to go up to everyone in the bank line, ask what type of transaction they were attempting and offer to help them do it utilizing the automated machine.
That query always made my blood boil. My reply was always “no” (with a smile). In some small way, I felt like I was doing my part to hopefully help slow the inevitable evolution to humanless banking. Refusing to use an automated bank teller inside the bank was my tiny protest–my personal resistance to a robotic movement that’s swiftly removing humanity from even the smallest of human interactions.
In 2023, the U.S. surgeon general officially declared loneliness an epidemic. Wow, how far we’ve come. The truth is for many in America, a brief public interaction, a shared smile, a friendly exchange at the supermarket, or the coffee shop is the only human interaction some have. Soon, there will be little to no face-to-face human interaction in most daily tasks and errands. Then what? How will that impact the rate of loneliness we are already experiencing?
The Statistics Tell the Story
A 2023 study by Drexel University found that 67% of shoppers believe self-checkout is faster—but in reality, it’s often slower due to user errors and system issues.
Another study from PYMNTS revealed that 60% of shoppers say they’ve experienced a failed transaction at self-checkout.
And loneliness? The U.S. Surgeon General has officially declared it an epidemic—with over 50% of American adults reporting measurable loneliness that literally affects our health, well-being and life span.
While living in today’s fast-paced, hyper environment, it’s easier to be “as sheep led to the slaughter,” blindly embracing every new and shiny idea presented to us. However, we must keep thinking, and choosing.
The Future Is Coming—Decide What You Want From It
We use humans to build machines. We use humans to teach customers how to use the machines. And then the machines replace the humans. We’re forced by our own job description to contribute to our own annihilation.
The future is inevitable and coming toward us like a meteor. Yet the antidote is for us to slow down and think. It feels counter-intuitive, yes. But we must think about the kind of future we truly want to have. We must pause and think about how we want to embrace the future that’s coming.
Don’t Checkout. Think
We can’t walk blindly (or lazily) into the future. Whether we’re reminded by the self-checkout, the autonomous vehicle or the robotic bank teller, we must decide how we plan to participate in the future. Will we allow ourselves to be commandeered by a future heading toward us at 90,000 miles per hour? Or will we stand firm and command the kind of future we really want?
We need to ask some hard questions: What kind of world are we building? Who gets left behind? And is efficiency really worth our humanity?
Tech is a Tool Not a Substitution
Technology can be a fantastic tool. However, it can never replace human connection, kindness, or community. So while the world speeds faster and faster towards a society with less human interaction and more AI, robotics and automation, let’s be proactive and play an active role in shaping the plans and policies that will affect every aspect of our lives.
Yes, there’s a lot going on in the world right now, but please, don’t check out. Pause. Think. Decide what’s important to you and then become a part of the solution.
#CAIPA #ResponsibleAI #AIEthics #ConsumerProtection #AutonomousVehicles #AIPolicy #AIgovernance #DataPrivacy #FutureOfDriving #SelfCheckout #Robotics #Innovation
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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect the official stance of Consumer AI Protection Advocates (CAIPA).
CAIPA’s mission is to empower consumers by advocating for responsible AI practices that safeguard consumer rights and interests across various sectors, including electric vehicles (EVs), autonomous vehicles (AVs), and robotics.
SUMMARY
In this article, we explore the shift away from human-centered service in aspects of everyday life and how these trends are subtly stripping away both jobs and traditional opportunities for human interaction. We’re encouraged to think critically about the future. Don’t “check out,” but actively think and participate in the future that’s headed our way.
