Hola, 

It’s already possible to imagine a not-too-distant future in which store clerks and cashiers are endangered species. And that translates to nearly 5 million jobs in the US. 

The human impact will be huge. 

• Fast-food: Already in Midtown Manhattan, you can go to an automated, nearly human-free restaurant like Eatsa to grab your lunch from a cubby that pops open. You can also get a robot to serve you coffee in SF at CafeX.
• Convenience stores: Several startups like F5 Future Store and Bingobox are building robotic convenience stores. Next-gen vending machine startup Bodega was scoffed at for appropriating the name of New York’s corner stores for its concept. But the vision of widespread souped-up vending machines unbundling the 7-Elevens and Circle-Ks of the world is hardly crazy (and already a fact of life in Japan and parts of Northern Europe). 
• Gyms: Even gyms are being automated, and doing away with human staff. You can step into a 43-square-foot self-service “workout pod” on the sidewalks of Beijing and run on a treadmill while watching TV. Startups like Misspao, LePao, Douba, and others have already rolled out 24-hour public gym pods.

Larger companies are also using a human-free strategy: When Snapchat launched its Spectacles, it used pop-up vending machines. 

One day not so far off, I am sure we’ll think back nostalgically about the days of surly convenience store clerks.




Have a great weekend.

Marcelo
@ballve