Technology is growing and evolving as the world advances. As a result, robots are becoming used more often in everyday life and alongside human beings in a natural setting. They are specifically seen in grocery stores such as Giant.
According to the New York Times, “On Wednesday, Mrs. Trump appeared at the White House alongside Figure 3, a humanoid, A.I.-powered robot whose uses, according to the company that makes it, include fetching towels, carrying groceries, and serving champagne. But Mrs. Trump joins tech executives and some researchers in envisioning a world beyond robot butlery. She is interested in how these robots could cut it as educators.”
Though it might be hard to notice sometimes, robots can be found everywhere we go.
In response if robot teachers should be imported into classrooms, Ethan Smith ‘27 said, “I would rather have a person teaching me. I feel like the robot, although they probably know a lot of things, they don’t know everything because robots get the information we’re about to get, they’re getting you.”
This leads us to question whether or not robots would make good teachers, since they are already being incorporated into daily routines.
Giant fanatic Mya Rodigruez ‘26 said, “I’ve seen a lot of cases of robots being used in other places throughout the world. But the first time I’ve ever seen one was in a Giant, it was basically sweeping around like collecting trash.”
Sensing messes and spills throughout the store, Marty, the cleaning robot, swerves through the aisles, making small beeping noises as it roams. As of February 2023, Marty found his way outside of the grocery store located in Hellertown and began exploring the parking lot.
Leading and working at Giant himself, Smith shared his opinion and ever closer view as he works alongside Marty himself. Smith said, “It never really affects my job, but sometimes it’s a little frustrating because they get in the way with customers and everything.”
According to ABC27 news, “One Pennsylvania grocery shopper in the Lehigh Valley area posted a video showing Marty on the loose in a store parking lot before employees wrangled him back inside.”
Although the robot is programmed very well, flaws still exist and accumulate over time. If robots can cut and lay carbon with micron-level accuracy, speed up production, and ensure quality control, why can’t they educate children as well?
Rodriguez said, “I don’t think there would ever be robot teachers because during the pandemic in COVID, kids went online for a while, and you already saw how much that affected their education and their minds. They have proven studies that you need human care with children and with the growing mind, which I don’t see robots ever being able to fulfill.”
From a curious perspective about robots, Wayne Kurtz, Upper School Math teacher, said, “I feel very curious, and I wonder why they are needed, what their function is, and whether they are cleaning, monitoring, or doing something else.
Kurtz said, “It doesn’t really bother me, I’m more curious than anything,” showing that while robots are becoming more and more common, especially in grocery stores, people are still trying to understand the impact they’re going to have on society.
According to the Innovation and Tech Resources Hub, robots are becoming a bigger part of everyday life, and they are used to help people do tasks quickly. They often help deliver items, clean, and assist workers in stores and warehouses. Based on Kurtz’s curiosity, even though robots are helpful, most people don’t fully understand what their long-term impact will be on society.
Whether it comes to Giant robots racing down the grocery aisles, human-like robots that are programmed to teach students lessons that teachers could, or future inventions we have yet to see, robots are now a huge part of our community and the rest of the world. It all depends on how others decide to react and work along with them.
