For millions of young Aussies, a first job often meant standing behind a counter, saying hi to customers, answering questions and learning how to deal with people.<\/p>\n
Now one carmaker wants a robot doing those jobs instead.<\/p>\n
Chinese electric vehicle giant XPeng has unveiled Iron, an eerily human-looking robot it plans to roll out across showrooms, offices and factories before eventually making it available to other businesses across the world.<\/p>\n
Iron has been designed to look and move like a person so that it can work and engage with humans, in spaces built for humans.<\/p>\n
Standing 173cm tall, the robot has been powered by the same artificial intelligence* (AI) behind XPeng\u2019s self-driving* technology, allowing it to hold conversations and interact with people.<\/p>\n
XPeng Vice Chairman and President Brian Gu said Iron had been designed to act as a sales assistant.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt can greet customers, it can introduce the product, answer questions, take a walk with the customer around the vehicle, hand over a bottle of water, open the door and explain the inside,\u201d Mr Gu said. \u201cIt can do all these jobs, for hours if needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
XPeng said it planned to launch around 1000 robots across its stores, offices and factories before expanding into commercial, retail and office settings from 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cIron is not a distant vision. It will become a reality very soon, and hopefully very soon in Australia as well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The humanoid* robot has been only one part of XPeng\u2019s broader AI push.<\/p>\n
The same AI foundation model that powers Iron has also been used in the company\u2019s autonomous* driving technology and Robotaxi* program, which Gu has described as \u201crobots on wheels\u201d.<\/p>\n
XPeng said it hoped to eventually bring that technology to Australia, once driverless vehicles became something that Aussies wanted to buy.<\/p>\n
The prospect of autonomous vehicles has drawn a strong response from the Transport Workers\u2019 Union, which argues Australians should have a say in how emerging technologies are introduced and regulated.<\/p>\n
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said, \u201cIt is the job of our policymakers to determine if or when this type of technology reaches our streets, and most importantly \u2013 under what regulatory conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those same questions have now been asked of humanoid robots.<\/p>\n
If they can greet customers, answer questions and never clock off, what will happen to the people who would have done those jobs?<\/p>\n
Mr Gu said Iron was designed to handle \u201croutine, repeatable, mundane jobs,\u201d freeing up staff to focus on more important work.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can have more people focus on other aspects of the sales process that add more value \u2013 that needs more human interactions or intuitive* human judgement. Those things are not going to be replaced by robots yet,\u201d Mr Gu said.<\/p>\n
When reporters from news.com.au pointed out the significance of that final word \u201cyet\u201d \u2013 Mr Gu laughed.<\/p>\n
He argued people would evolve alongside AI, becoming \u201cmore thoughtful\u201d and better at using the technology, changing the mix of jobs rather than cutting out people altogether.<\/p>\n
But unions have remained wary.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot keep seeing Silicon Valley* start-ups imposing technology in our communities without Australians getting a say,\u201d said Mr Kaine. \u201cIt is time to see decisions made in the interests of workers and the Australian community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the debates about driverless vehicles and robots existing alongside humans, one thing has become very clear. Like it or not, AI won\u2019t be confined to a screen \u2026 It\u2019s about to clock on for work.<\/p>\n
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GLOSSARY<\/p>\n
artificial intelligence: AI, technology that enables computer systems to perform tasks that usually require human intelligence, such as understanding language, analysing data, creating content and visual perception self-driving: cars that drive themselves using sensors, cameras and software, including AI humanoid: resembling humans autonomous: the technology underpinning self-driving vehicles Robotaxi: a self-driving vehicle that you can hail through an online booking platform for on-demand transport, like an Uber, that doesn\u2019t have a human driver intuitive: requiring emotions, feelings, spiritual connection or gut feelings \u2013 which computers don\u2019t possess Silicon Valley: a region in Northern California renown for its tech innovation <\/p>\n
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