Topic: Amazon Go

Amazon is shuttering its "Just Walk Out" technology in Amazon Fresh stores after reports revealed the system relied on 1,000 workers in India to manually verify transactions. Despite being marketed as advanced AI and computer vision, the project proved economically unviable and prone to errors. Amazon is pivoting to "Dash Carts," which use scanners built directly into the shopping carts.

The New York City Council has passed legislation banning businesses from refusing to accept cash, with fines up to $1,500 for violations. The ban is framed as a social justice issue, as cashless models are seen as discriminatory against the poor, homeless, and undocumented immigrants. The hosts celebrate this as a victory in the "war on cash," noting that even Amazon Go has been forced to accept physical currency.

The hosts review the Microsoft Surface Go as a potential "Off The Grid" device for those avoiding smartphones. They discuss the technical challenges of using a VPN, such as Bing and Amazon defaulting to the wrong language or country based on the VPN's exit node. Curry praises the device's portability and speaker quality.

A growing trend of restaurants in New York and Seattle going cashless was discussed, with owners claiming it speeds up transactions and reduces the risk of robbery. Critics argue that refusing cash is a form of discrimination against the unbanked and violates the principle of "legal tender for all debts public and private." The segment also noted the opening of the first Amazon Go store, which uses automated tracking to charge customers' accounts without a checkout process.

Amazon is introducing "Amazon Go" technology, which uses computer vision and "sensor fusion" to allow customers to shop without checkout lines. The hosts speculate that this technology will eventually be implemented at Whole Foods to eliminate human employees. They express skepticism about how the system will handle spills, theft, or power outages.