FOLLOW US

For years, automation has been in the making. Many people already use automation, whether it's in the form of Alexa, Google Assistant, etc.

Despite automation making its way into the mainstream, there have been some debates about the technology.

Some Americans believe automation is the next step as the world continues to evolve. Meanwhile, others worry that artificial intelligence will come at the cost of individuals losing their jobs.

The staffing shortages that emerged last year have reopened conversations about automation. In 2021, news broke that BurgerFi would be using robots at certain locations to get food to its customers.

Now, Chipotle Mexican Grill is turning to automation to fill the gaps created by staffing shortages.

What to know about Chipotle's new robots

At this time, Chipotle is planning to use robots from Miso Robotics to make tortillas. To do this, robots will be seasoning and cooking the popular chips that customers have come to love.

According to Michael Bell, the Miso Robotics CEO, the company's partnership with Chipotle has been in the making for quite some time. Bell explained that even before COVID appeared, there were staffing issues in the restaurant industry.

Now, post-COVID, these staffing issues aren't projected to go away anytime soon. As a result of this, Chipotle has chosen automation as the best step forward for the company.

Will more companies follow suit?

As time passes, automation is something that people should get used to seeing in various forms. Many big box stores, such as Walmart, for instance, already have self-checkout machines.

The restaurant industry has especially absorbed some hard hits from issues with staffing. Amid various reports of many people quitting their jobs, this further led to a higher demand for labor.

Meanwhile, with inflation making the costs of labor go up for businesses, this too creates an incentive for companies to embrace automation.

Despite critics of artificial intelligence, there are some folks who believe humans can work with automation and use it to their advantage in the workforce, rather than being pushed into unemployment because of it.

Time will tell. However, as things currently stand, it's hard to imagine automation going away anytime soon.