Michael Rosenthal

(4/2020) Walmart has been a leader in the application of Artificial Intelligence in its use of robots. One of its simpler examples is the Auto-C self-driving floor scrubber. But Walmart has gone well beyond this application. Walmart has enlisted some 1500 robots into its jumbo stores, doing jobs such as automatic shelf-canning, box unloading, and artificial intelligence cameras. These robots do their work in plain sight, work that was previously done by human employees. We visited several Walmart stores in the last week, but we didn’t see any robots at work doing these tasks. We did see a robot in one of our recent trips to a local Walmart, but we did not notice what task it was designed to perform. Walmart has promised that the use of the robots will relieve human employees of repetitive, boring tasks, doing cleaning, shelf refilling, and faster and efficient checkouts.

One of their robots is the Auto-S scanner. It is six-feet tall and creeps down the aisles, seeking out of place items by sweeping shelves with a beam of light.

Many Walmart employees are accepting these machines as colleagues, citing their specific personalities and attaching employee name tags. Other employees however are less positive, feeling that the machines were more like nagging supervisors. Some employees feared the robots might eventually replace them. What no one expected, it seems, is that robots and conventional employees would be working side-by-side. Human employees often give the robots human names! Sometimes they work together as friends, but there have been also observed instances where the human employees curse the robots or even physically assault them!

Walmart is very optimistic about the use of robots and their future in the company. The Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon, is a big fan, citing their efficiency and discipline. Walmart is continuing to broaden the uses of these machines.

I grew up in Ohio where my father worked as a department store executive. I thus spent many, many hours in the department store where he served first as a buyer and eventually as a high-ranking executive. I worked at a part-time job there and also in a shoe store while I was in high school. Thus the development of these robots is very striking to me, being familiar with their environment both as an employee and now as a customer.

Some customers however are uneasy with the robots. They are accustomed to be able to ask an employee questions and receive traditional help. My wife and I were recently in a Walmart store where the human employees were scarce and not very friendly. We would have appreciated an intelligent robot to give us direction. Walmart is working to make its machines human-friendly, but standardized robot etiquette is still under development. It is not desirable for robots to approach someone silently and frighten them. Perhaps a correct robot greeting will be developed.

These robots do a variety of specific tasks. Fast Unloader machines automatically scan and sort freight as it is tossed off shipping trucks. Camera robots scan shelves to ensure they are well-stocked and items are not misplaced. Special "Alpha bots" bring items to workers for packaging, and floor cleaning tasks are done by robots at night.

Walmart has been very successful in keeping its employees. They pay well, and business is good. Some of the workers however would prefer less robotics and more human cooperation.

Self-checkout aisles, a relative of these robots, have become popular at Walmart and other stores, and many cashiers have been replaced by them. Technically, these machines are a form of robots, since they guide you verbally through the checkout process. I have mixed emotion about the self-checkout. They are very good for an item or two, but they can’t answer all your questions. I expect more sophisticated self-checkouts will be developed with time.

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When I began to write this column, I titled it Real Science, because I wanted to draw the line between conclusions and action based on proven scientific principles and scientific fact, and that which was what I call pseudoscience. There certainly have been situations where scientists interpret information and data incorrectly, with the best of intentions, and then there are situations where false statements are made for personal gain

A recent example of this phenomenon is a product promoted by Rev. Jim Bakker, called Silver Solution. Bakker suggested on his TV show that this product would kill the coronavirus and "boost your immune system." In response to this claim New York’s top prosecutor’s office issued a cease-and-desist order on advertising this product. This is yet another example of the offering of phony medications that claim cures of various conditions or diseases. As I’ve said before in this column, look for the statement that a drug is tested and approved by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before you commit to it. If you see this: "These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease." then pass it up!

There are some valuable dietary supplements out there, which have been certified as such by the FDA. Ginger is good to relieve nausea, Peppermint helps you with upset stomach, melatonin for sleep disruption, and fish oil shows some promise, though not yet proven, for cardiovascular disease. Yet unproven for benefits are turmeric, St.John’s wort, ginkgo, and Echinacea. Folic acid reduces risk for fetal neural tube defects, and is recommended for women who may become pregnant. Calcium and Vitamin D are thought to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

There are many supplements sold that purport to give you energy, support your immune system, but that are not FDA certified. Though they may not harm you, you are spending your money on drugs that have no scientific basis for doing the good for you they claim to do.

Some substances, however, can do you harm. The supplement ephedra, is a substance that occurs naturally in some plants, and it was marketed (without FDA certification) as an appetite suppressant and energy booster. After it killed 155 people in 2003 the FDA took it off the market. There are those who say that one should avoid all supplements to be safe. I say that FDA approval should be the key along with the advice of a trusted physician.

Finally, we continue our ongoing discussion of global warming. Data presented in January jointly by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, report that 2019 was the second hottest year on record, trailing only 2016. Particularly, 2019 was the warmest year on record for the world’s oceans, with all of the top five hottest years coming since 2015. Nineteen of the hottest 20 years have occurred in the last twenty years. Scientists say that the primary case is the emission of carbon dioxide and methane from the burning of fossil fuels. We really must join in worldwide to support the Paris Climate Accord and move from the burning of fossil fuels to energy production that does not emit carbon dioxide: nuclear power, wind, hydropower, and solar. There are some relatively simple things we can do: require all new houses built to have solar panels is one. Eliminate coal use and help coal miners find new jobs. Build energy efficient structures. If a universal commitment can be obtained, we can do a lot!

Read other articles by Michael Rosenthal