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Lucky you! I am blacklisted from entering Crete, my first ex was from there and her grandparents are still hunting me for crushing their princess's heart.

HAHAHA they are....from the western side of Rethymno that is called Panorama.

I started learning AI for two reasons - because it always interested and fascinated me, and because I want to be ready for the battle when it arrives

Are they from Rethymno, by any chance?

Tbh, I think the people that are most concerned about self-checkouts coming for their jobs are a bit similar to the people who are worried about migrants taking their jobs because they'll work for cheaper. As you say, self-checkouts and other forms of technology/automation changing the workforce can lead to big jumps in the number of unemployed people in the world. And as you mentioned, it's not the first time (obviously) technology has changed jobs and relegated some jobs into becoming obsolete. Employers of low skilled labour view their employees, for the most part, as highly replaceable human capital. That employers might suddenly reject their current employees for: cheaper immigrant labour or machinery is not surprising. Especially with technology coming in to do the same jobs as a human, but with greater efficiency and a lower cost... it isn't surprising. That's just how people run businesses, lower cost for more efficiency is what you expect employers to go for. And I do sympathise with people who suddenly face losing their job due to whatever is happening in the job market that is beyond their control. But at the end of the day, I think most low skilled workers are sort of in the same boat of being low paid and highly replaceable. As technology cuts into their jobs more and more, it is understandable to see a push back against that change. I especially sympathise with older people in those jobs. But a lot of the people that are most impacted by shifts in the workplace like cheaper labour for immigration and technology... they're not powerless to adapt to the changes in the workforce. But so many people just do not want to learn the new skills that are needed to adapt to a changing workplace. And I admit, it isn't always easy to transition people from their old jobs to new jobs where they'll need new skills or greater skills. So perhaps it needs to be more of a focus of governments to be able to transition workers from their old jobs to new jobs that will require new skills or being a more skilled labourer. But then I wonder how many of the same people will complain that the government is trying to get too involved in the lives of people by trying to make sure they can get employment in a changing world... and instead insist that the government should be stopping in to stop the world from changing. But I don't think that's realistic. And I don't think many governments will step in to tell business they should not be looking to lower the cost of doing business (so long as automation doesn't negatively impact the quality of goods/services provided) and increasing profitability. The world didn't mourn the death of the telephone operator or the lift attendant...

I miss Fusion, he was the first one to upvote my post back on TFF and I was like woo someone liked me !

With technology improving, self checkouts and similar technology will make cashiers - and many other jobs in general - obsolete in the future; the same thing that happened to phone operators, elevator operators, or gas station attendants, as well as many other professions that don't exist anymore. That's normal, and you can say that's the price of technological progress... It's also true that labour markets tend to adjust to changes and automation usually creates new jobs, and it's good if people can be retrained and take on new professions, but let's be honest, the transition is quite challenging for some, especially older workers. If many of lower skilled jobs get automated and become obsolete in the future, and if a significant part of global workforce has to shift occupational categories, learn new skills and be re-employed as a result, unemployment rates can potentially go through the roof, especially combined with the aging population.

Ah, right. I was scratching my head there looking for a potential connection I don't use self checkouts, either. I don't like big businesses making me do the work so that they can save payroll and maximise their profits while I still pay the same price for the items Also, if I'm buying alcohol (which happens 90% of the time whenever I'm at the store), then I still have to wait for the cashier/attendant to approve it anyway. I also quite like short, non-binding human interaction. And they do make some jobs obsolete.

That was a joke really as I know you are not religious

@nudge, seeing that you are... erm...religious, you might like this A couple had two little boys, ages 8 and 10, who were excessively mischievous. The two were always getting into trouble and their parents could be assured that if any mischief occurred in their town their two young sons were in some way involved. The parents were at their wit's end as to what to do about their sons' behaviour. The mother had heard that a clergyman in town had been successful in disciplining children in the past, so she asked her husband if he thought they should send the boys to speak with the clergyman. The husband said, ' We might as well. We need to do something before I really lose my temper!' The clergyman agreed to speak with the boys, but asked to see them individually. The 8-year-old went to meet with him first. The clergyman sat the boy down and asked him sternly,' Where is God?' The boy made no response, so the clergyman repeated the question in an even sterner tone, ' Where is God?' Again the boy made no attempt to answer. So the clergyman raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face, ' WHERE IS GOD?' At that the boy bolted from the room and ran directly home, slamming himself in the closet. His older brother followed him into the closet and asked what had happened. The younger brother replied, ' We are in BIG trouble this time. God is missing and they think we did it.'

Just 3 of us going down.

The daughter borrowed a mousetrap from me as she had a wild mouse running around her flat, it's been there for a while before she got Puddin but I told her Puddin will catch it but she said no, he is only a kitten...WRONG!!!! The daughter just texted me....... She was going to try and let her 2 remaining pet rats out and introduce them to Puddin but she won't know in case Puddin destroys them.

Where's @Dickie?