A humanoid machine that could do your washing, clean the dishes, mow the lawn… Sounds like something from a movie right? Well, if you’ve seen the latest video of the Atlas robot, by Boston Dynamics, you’ll know that it’s perhaps not such a crazy dream! With the crazy speed at which technology keeps improving and the addition of AI, you might be buying yourself a robot buddy much sooner than you think! 

Are you excited? I don’t know that I am. On the one hand, I do like the idea of never having to take the bins out again. On the other hand, I’ve seen Terminator, I,Robot and The Matrix. The creation of humanoid robots never seems to end well… Mass destruction, the enslaving of humankind, huge wars between humans and machines… you get the jist. But that’s worst-case scenario, isn’t it? And worst-case scenario doesn’t usually play out. 

So what’s more likely? The truth is, we can’t truly know what inventions are just around the corner and how they will impact us. That’s the beauty of life – it’s unpredictable. Will robots replace some of the workforce in the freight industry? Most likely. In fact, this is almost certain. We’ve already seen the likes of Amazon start building a robot workforce in their warehouses, it won’t be long before others follow suit. Driverless vehicles are already in development, and this won’t be just cars – think driverless trains, trucks and even container ships! 

And that’s just the beginning… Could we see robot customs officers? What about AI-generated freight quotes? How about a robot that picks and packs your cargo? How about a 3D printer that means you could print anything you need right there in your home without the need for shipping at all? The possibilities are endless… 

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Chadd, you sound like a nutter. This might be a possibility, but not in my lifetime. And that’s the bit I am not so sure on… If you look back over the past 30 years, technology has developed at an incredible rate. And it’s only going to get faster as AI and robotics start to contribute. Will we have the flying cars and self-tying shoes that Back to The Future promised us back in the 1980s? I don’t know. 

But I would place my bets that in 10 years time the world is very different from now, probably in ways we can’t even imagine. 

So what do you think? Will we see robot servants and crazy tech in the next decade? How do you think the freight industry will be impacted? 

I’d like to hear your ideas…