Robot barista to serve coffee at travel agency cafe in Tokyo

Robots are not the answer to a shrinking workforce. For one, they can't pay tax can they?

Robots are the answer to the shrinking workforce. Companies will pay the taxes, all we need is a fair taxation system and universal basic income as a compensation for our jobs taken by robots. Then we can focus on creative activities instead of doing mundane low-skilled work, give such work to the robots, they can do it better. We cannot stop the evolution and the future.

What is it with this fascination with robots? And not even the cool ones we see on TV shows.

How about some human interaction now and then.

Robots are not the answer to a shrinking workforce. For one, they can't pay tax can they?

For one, they can't pay tax can they?

Not yet anyway.

3-4 minutes for a cup of coffee? I need my coffee in a minute or less.

I experienced this kind of service with my local kaiten-zushi shop. The welcoming and guidance being done by a robot now. Basically, it's a fancy plastic box that repeats the same thing other and other again. Having done this kind of work before, I'm sure it's helping the staff.

But toward the client, at least at this stage, it's nothing more than a gadget to look "cool" (it's not).

Hipster/snobby baristas, your days are numbered ;)!

Not against the idea although I have to say I don't mind a quick 'hey how r u going' from my baristas (definitely better than a ""Hello. Would you like delicious coffee?" from a robot). As an added bonus, regulars don't even need to order their coffee.

Good luck to "robot baristas' sales reps though, tough sell! Baristas are pretty passionate about their job, don't think they'll enjoy competing with droids for their job.

"Hello, here I am to replace working people!"

If like the Luddites you start smashing the machines, though, robots will surely begin to be fitted with some sort of self-defense system...

Industrial Revolution Part II.

I would love to have a kitchen robot to cook me a breakfast and brew a cup coffee before I wake up.

Not as easy on the eyes as the baristas at Starbucks. Maybe they can add a few more arms to serve even more coffee.

Surely robots will cause a shrinking workforce.

There are countless people in the world with zero creative activities, who just need a steady income source to support their family. If their creative nature starts to break out, they can do it at home, or if it is really genius level, then maybe they can take the plunge and cut the embilical cord.

Ok. So the whole thing is about a really really cool vending machine. Neat.

Who will be liable if the robot dumps the hot coffee in your lap as he's trying to serve you

Couldn't a glorified vending machine do the same thing but with less moving parts and thus faster?

Why?

Because we can.

If you go to their competitors where humans exist you don't have to feel bad as there is no one here

Not new - there have been coffee machines for decades.

Typical of naive and/or negligent AI technologists: limited functionality; regarding effects of human redundancy; easily bored consumers.