robots
Are Robots Stealing Jobs?
Linchi Kwok | March 30, 2023
By Linchi Kwok Forget about the old days of “people serving people.” More restaurants and hotels are now using robotic cooks, delivery robots, self-serving kiosks, Chatbots, and other AI-empowered machines in service operations. Some businesses must rely on machines to address the labor shortage issue. Others count on machines to deliver faster and more consistent service. Moreover, many consumers have become used to automatic self-services during the pandemic. It is not surprising to see robots taking over more service jobs. What is the latest robotic “thing” that deems to take over even more human jobs? That is ChatGPT (Ch...
The Future of Work: Look on the Bright Side?
Stuart Pallister | October 2, 2018
By Stuart Pallister Whenever you hear a news item about artificial intelligence and robots, which are now gaining a foothold in the hospitality industry and other sectors, the message is usually this: jobs are going to disappear, with perhaps millions of people facing long-term unemployment. In the view of futurist and 'recovering journalist,' Gary A. Bolles however, we shouldn't just focus on the negatives. We should look at these developments as an opportunity. Problem solving "Robots and software don't take jobs, they take tasks," he told Hospitality Insights following a keynote address to EHL's international advisory board. For huma...
Robots: Hotel Customers Like Them (Mostly)!
Rohit Verma | August 13, 2018
By Lina Zhong and Rohit Verma When Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock needed information, they would hail the Enterprise's computer, and the computer would respond to their request. In 1966, that was an amazing piece of science fiction. Now, with Siri, Alexa, and other devices with artificial intelligence, we all are figuratively standing on the bridge of the Enterprise, speaking to devices that are "listening" to us and fulfilling our simple requests. As the Internet of things grows, robots and other devices using artificial intelligence can handle a growing list of tasks, such as turning up the heat or air conditioning before a homeowner arriv...
Technologies That Will Have a Major Impact on Hotels in 2017 and Beyond
ALICE | January 18, 2017
Technologies that were big in 2016, and are only getting bigger. HOTEL STAFF TECHNOLOGY. Ops is the new black. Happy staff = happy guests, and 2016 was the year where staff technology and back of house operations finally got the attention and validation it deserves. Until last year, most attention was on guest technology, particularly on guest apps and on guest-facing innovation, like keyless entry and in-room controls. Companies like Marriott and IHG poured millions into their mobile guest applications, while their staff were left to fumble with clunky, poorly designed systems. Staff are the heart of hospitality. Without them, hotels a...
How a New Type of Coworker is Changing Office Life
JLL Real Views | May 3, 2016
Your coworkers sitting nearby probably know how you take your coffee or the song you play when you need creative inspiration. However, in the modern office you are engaging more than ever with a different, quieter teammate that also recognizes your preferences, from email spam to office temperature. This colleague doesn't gossip or eat lunch with you—but they greet you every morning, and sort your emails overnight. This coworker plays a critical role on your team, adding intelligence and data that make everything you do possible. This coworker is, in fact, a cognitive computing program—a close cousin to the robots that scie...
Don’t Sweat the Hotel Robots…Yet
ALICE | April 19, 2016
Last month, Hilton Hotels, in partnership with IBM, introduced "Connie," the first Watson-enabled robot concierge for the hospitality industry. Named for the founder of Hilton Hotels, Conrad Hilton, Connie can tell guests where to eat, what to do nearby, and what they need to know about the hotel's amenities and services. Connie uses both a combination of Watson APIs and information gleaned from WayBlazer to deliver its picks. And the more guests interact with Connie, the more the robot will "learn" and thus adjust its recommendations. Currently, Connie is only available at the Hilton McLean in Virginia. But Hilton isn't the only one te...
Travellers Expect Robots on Their Holidays by 2020
Travelzoo | March 9, 2016
LONDON, March 9, 2016 -- A survey of more than 6,000 travellers in Asia, Europe, North America and South America reveals nearly 80% of respondents expect robots to play a big part in their lives by 2020, with three quarters believing they will make their lives significantly better. Almost two thirds of respondents would be comfortable with robots being used in the travel industry. Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO), a global media commerce company, conducted the research as part of its Future of Travel project exploring consumer acceptance of robots in the travel and tourism industry. Richard Singer, Travelzoo's European President, will make ...
Would You like Your Service Today Live or Programmed, Madam? Part II
Steven Ferry | December 17, 2015
By Steven Ferry Last month, Part I of this article traced the history of robots in hospitality from Ancient Greek times to the first workplace application at GM 50 years ago, and the exponential progress made in robotics since then with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence, and the rapid encroachment into the workplace, including hotels now being run mainly by robots. Surprisingly, and little known, is the fact that there is a convergence between humans and robots: the effort to make robots capable of everything and more that humans are capable of, and humans being "improved" with robotics. In just 15 years, the expectation by th...
