E-commerce giant Amazon utilized the assistance of approximately 1,000 Indian human workers to manually review transactions at its stores equipped with the “Just Walk Out” technology, according to a report by Business Insider. While the technology is primarily driven by computer vision, the involvement of human workers was necessary for verifying a significant portion of transactions.
In 2022, it was reported that 700 out of every 1,000 transactions utilizing the “Just Walk Out” feature required manual verification by the team based in India. An Amazon spokesperson clarified that the Indian team’s role was primarily focused on training the model used for the technology.
The spokesperson stated, “Associates may also validate a small minority of shopping visits where our computer vision technology cannot determine with complete confidence an individual’s purchases.”
However, Amazon has decided to phase out the “Just Walk Out” technology from its Amazon Fresh stores in favor of implementing Dash Carts. These smart shopping carts aim to enhance the customer experience by enabling them to avoid checkout lines. The carts will track and charge for selected items, offering features such as easily locating nearby products and deals, viewing receipts while shopping, and understanding savings.
The “Just Walk Out” technology was initially introduced in Amazon Go convenience stores, where customers could enter by identifying themselves with their Amazon account, select items, return them to shelves, and leave the store without interacting with a cashier.
Amazon’s decision to transition to Dash Carts reflects its commitment to providing innovative and seamless shopping experiences for its customers while also streamlining operational processes.
