Amazon said it has no current plans to automate the jobs of cashiers in Whole Foods stores after it finishes acquiring the grocery chain. It also isn’t planning any layoffs, according to a spokesperson.
There is some speculation, however, that Amazon may change its plans and use new technology inside of Whole Foods locations.
Amazon Go, for example, is a new service that Amazon has been testing in its own small grocery store in Seattle that allows shoppers — only Amazon employees — to walk in, pick up goods and walk out without ever going through a check-out line.
Amazon Go doesn’t use robots to stock shelves (yet) but Amazon does tap into computer vision and deep learning to power its shopping experience.
That process eliminates the need for a cashier or a full grocery staff almost entirely and makes the shopping experience smoother for consumers who don’t need to wait in line.
