In a post on Reddit, a staff member said employees had been asked to assist with a \u201cspecial AI zone\u201d aimed at improving stock management.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis requires at least four separate retail floor members to wear an AI camera around our necks for a minimum of 12 hours a working day,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n The employee said they were concerned the device could potentially capture details on patient prescriptions which are visible while they are working.<\/p>\n \u201cAs someone who occasionally works on the register, I frequently deal with patient prescriptions and repeats in my view, with full names, addresses and medications of the customers\/patients in my view,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n \u201cAm I violating people\u2019s rights by wearing this camera and in turn at risk of being in trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n Chemist Warehouse announced its partnership with artificial intelligence company Augmodo in 2024, saying the technology would provide staff with access to \u201creal-time shelf data\u201d.<\/p>\n At the time, managing partner and general manager of IT retail Mark Finocchiaro said the devices would help staff identify products that were out of stock, incorrectly placed or required attention.<\/p>\n \u201cThey simply wear the lanyards around their neck and no longer need to spend hours auditing \u2014 everything is automatically scanned as they walk the floor, making their role even more valuable,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cNot only are they helping to provide real-time inventory data but now have more time to help customers.\u201d<\/p>\n The companies launched a pilot program in 2024 and said it delivered \u201cincredible results\u201d within the first month, including a 30 per cent reduction in inventory gaps at participating stores.<\/p>\n The partnership aims to expand to 550 locations by 2027.<\/p>\n Reaction to the trial has been largely critical.<\/p>\n \u201cWill definitely not be shopping there and will tell family too,\u201d one person commented on the online post.<\/p>\n Another questioned whether the technology could be used for purposes beyond stock management, asking if the term was \u201ccorporate speak … that translates to facial recognition for anti-theft\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cOr is it actually to train AI to replace the jobs of the same staff wearing the cameras?\u201d the person also queried.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not the same as a shelf camera in a supermarket. It\u2019s a pharmacy,\u201d said another.<\/p>\n \u201cStaff can easily have prescriptions, repeats, patient names, addresses, Medicare details, medication names, POS screens and private health conversations in view.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the camera is worn around the neck for hours, it is very hard to believe it will only ever capture \u2018stock management\u2019 data.\u201d<\/p>\n In a joint statement, Chemist Warehouse and Augmodo said the technology had been deployed in a number of stores and was designed with privacy protections in place.<\/p>\n \u201cThe technology is designed solely to capture shelf and inventory information, providing visibility into product availability, shelf conditions and replenishment opportunities to help maintain high levels of stock availability,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith built in privacy filtering, the technology does not collect or record patient information, track customers or staff performance and is not used in pharmacy dispensing areas, ensuring privacy requirements are respected and adhered to at all times.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tragic find in bushland search for missing magician<\/p>\n 1 min read<\/p>\n![\"Chemist](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/38101329c36d8ae083d8a28d70a592c2b71eb9da.png\")
Chemist Warehouse said the technology would provide staff with access to \u2018real-time shelf data\u2019. Credit: Augmodo<\/p>\n![\"Online](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/dc9be1a2ccb30ecbe5451c5146514836dc703f88.jpg\")
Online reaction to the trial has been largely critical. Credit: Bianca De Marchi\/AAP<\/p>\n