Amazon CASHIER-FREE SHOPS

2024

At Amazon’s Just Walk Out shops, customers could simply walk in, grab what they needed, and walk out. A sophisticated web of cameras, sensors, and powerful AI would magically track their items and bill their Amazon account.

The reality? Over 1,000 workers in India were quietly doing the heavy lifting: watching video footage, identifying items, validating transactions, all to prop up the illusion of full AI automation.

In 2024 Amazon phased out “Just Walk Out” citing technical and operational challenges.

This fake AI powered by humans reminds us of Builder AI

Additional info:

Ars technica - Amazon Fresh kills “Just Walk Out” shopping tech—it never really worked

The Guardian - Amazon’s ‘AI-powered’ cashier-free shops use a lot of … humans

Business Insider- Amazon's Just Walk Out technology relies on hundreds of workers in India watching you shop