A robot took his job. And he's happy about it
Like it or not, "smart robots" enabled with artificial intelligence are taking on jobs that only humans used to do - maybe even yours. Whether that's something to fear or embrace depends on whether the robot could replace you, or actually make you smarter.
In this episode, Joshua tags along with a robot "inspector" on an apartment tower construction site. The robot makes the rounds each day, helping its human counterparts detect construction defects and safety violations. Its use marks a new era for robots, which typically toil in highly controlled and predictable environments. But construction sites - like many other aspects of life - are messy, unpredictable places. This could open the door to many new applications.
Could you work alongside a smart robot? You may soon get to find out.
A special thanks to all you listeners out there who financially support KUOW. You make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/booming. Thank you.
Booming is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Our editor is Carol Smith. Our producers are Lucy Soucek and Whitney Henry-Lester. Our hosts are Joshua McNichols and Monica Nickelsburg.
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Joshua McNichols
Growth and Development Reporter
As KUOW's Growth and Development reporter and co-host of KUOW's Booming podcast, Joshua's "growing pains" beat sits at the nexus of housing, transportation, urban planning, government and the economy. His favorite stories also include themes of history, technology, and climate change.
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Lucy Soucek
Podcast Producer
Lucy Soucek is a podcast producer who works on THE WILD with Chris Morgan, a podcast about the wonder and resilience of nature. She's trudged through waist-deep sawgrass looking for pythons and planned reporting trips 5,000 miles away in Ireland.
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Whitney Henry-Lester
Podcast Producer
Whitney is a podcast producer at KUOW. She helped develop some of KUOW's first podcasts, including How's Your Day? and Second Wave.
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Carol Smith
Editor
Carol is an editor of news, features, documentaries and podcasts at KUOW. She specializes in narrative approaches. Her team of reporters has covered a range of beats, including regional growth issues, homelessness, the economy, public health, immigration, food, arts and culture. Prior to joining KUOW, Carol was a long-time print journalist for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Los Angeles Times and others. Her enterprise reporting has won multiple national j awards for investigative and explanatory journalism. She is author of the memoir: Crossing the River: Seven Stories that Saved My Life (Abrams Press, 2021).
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