Fetch and Jett, the newest employees at Vdara Hotel & Spa, are causing a sensation in the Las Vegas workforce. Their daily duties include routine room service tasks like delivering morning coffee. However, what makes them stand out is that they are hotel robots, performing tasks that were traditionally done by humans.
The Las Vegas Sun highlighted that the topic of automation in Las Vegas hotels was brought up during contract discussions with the Culinary Workers Union. This union, which represents hotel, restaurant, and hospitality workers, has a membership of 57,000 people.
This is what Bethany Khan, the union’s director of communications and digital strategy, told the Sun:
“We have witnessed the emergence of automation technology in the form of robotic concierges, cooks capable of preparing burgers, and even bartenders. We’ve also seen robots that can deliver goods directly to rooms. With this in mind, we aim to ensure that members of the Culinary Union are safeguarded and have a voice in how such technology is incorporated into their respective roles.”
The primary concerns of the union are largely job retention and employee training on automation.
Robot round-up
Fetch and Jett are not the only robots in Las Vegas. There’s also the Tipsy Robot at Planet Hollywood’s Miracle Mile Shops, which substitutes human bartenders and is capable of serving over 120 drinks per hour. While Fetch and Jett are responsible for delivering snacks, sundries, and spa products.
Automated concierges are used by some establishments to help guests with activities around the clock. At last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, pole-dancing robots made their debut at the Sapphire gentlemen’s club. Additionally, robots have proven to be proficient at playing poker, both online and in other formats.
The Savioke Relay service bots, which started at the Market Café in Vdara on May 2, still require human assistance to load guest orders. After loading, they can navigate to the appropriate elevator and room. These two bots can complete up to 20 deliveries each day. Any tips received are given to the employee who loads the orders.
Vdara’s General Manager, Mary Giuliano, commented that the robots, akin to a kitschy new toy, genuinely entertain their customers. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, robot deliveries cost $3, while the regular room service is priced at $8. After the delivery, the robot will express its approval through a digital bark and is open to feedback.
“Vdara’s robot butlers offer a unique experience for guests, without negatively affecting our workforce,” Guiliano stated. “These robots help by delivering items to guest rooms, thereby easing the physical workload on our employees. This saves them time and energy, which they can then use to focus on other tasks.”
However, these robots will not be substituting human interaction in the near future.
“Hospitality is a human industry, hence at some point, humans have to get involved,” stated Khan.
Hotel robot automation
Geoconda Arguello Kline, the union’s secretary-treasurer, informed Forbes that these negotiated five-year agreements are the first to incorporate such tech language.
Arguello Kline told Forbes, “The language of automation and technology guarantees that workers participate in the implementation of technology in their jobs. It clearly outlines retraining and retention goals, and ensures that any layoffs follow a seniority-based order, with each worker having the right to be recalled if jobs become available again in the future.”
Arguello Kline used a 2017 report from the McKinsey Global Institute to address any potential job threats.
- Activities that could be automated were present in 60 percent of jobs.
- Automation may cause between three to 14 percent of the global workforce to change their jobs.
The data indicates that as progress is made, the demand for labor may rise, and retraining will be essential. Therefore, to mitigate this risk, the unions incorporated protective terms during the negotiation process.
Human interaction is still needed
Researchers in robotics suggest that robots may not initially create a significant impact as their use is currently limited to recreational activities and predefined roles.
Yulia Frumer, a researcher and the Bo Jung and Soon Young Kim Professor of East Asian Science and Technology at Johns Hopkins University, expressed to Forbes that these service robots are merely a “gimmick” and employing humans is more cost-effective.
Frumer also states that the use of robots will in fact necessitate increased human participation and a larger workforce for:
- Design
- Maintenance
- Customer service
- Supervision
The robots require collection of location data, consumer preferences, and potentially sensitive health data from facial recognition to function.
Customers are fascinated by robots, which could significantly contribute to their value. However, this attraction may decrease due to cultural differences and limited voice recognition capabilities, particularly difficulty with accents.
Other concerns are:
- Liability
- Data protection
- Tax policies
- Vandalism
- Responsibility
