As of today, Amazon has 200,000 mobile robots working alongside its 1.1 million employees. Though the robots have saved human stowers and pickers from having to walk 12-20 miles per day across the concrete landscape of an Amazon warehouse, the facilities with the highest injury rates are those more completely automated with robots. This stems from the unintended consequences of workers adapting their work processes to fit their interface with automation and/or robots. Something to keep in mind. 
AI is increasingly coming under legal scrutiny, with HireVue’s recruiting system a recent example. Over 700 companies use HireVue’s AI-driving recruiting technology to screen applicants. The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) has filed a complaint, asking for an FTC investigation. Because the algorithms are confidential, job candidates and employers alike are unclear on the exact methodology underlying the technology’s determinations. As such, these determinations cannot be meaningfully challenged. Illinois has become the first state to impose restrictions on the use of AI in hiring practices, with the Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act. If federal action isn’t soon-coming, employers may need to navigate a patchwork of state laws.
