GoKawiilWinners & losers: Autonomous robots are already being deployed in warehouses and factories, purportedly to "help" workers with dangerous and monotonous jobs. There's little doubt they'll expand to other areas, and one Bay Area county wants to ensure humans have job protections when this time comes.
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors this week voted 4-0 to establish what is being called a first-of-its-kind permitting system for businesses using autonomous, AI-controlled robots.
Introduced by Supervisor Ray Mueller, the ordinance addresses battery fires and other public safety risks stemming from the robots' use, but the headline is the way it deals with their impact on employees.
If adopted, businesses must apply for a permit for robots powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that use cameras or sensors and operate with some degree of autonomy in spaces accessible to workers or the public.
In addition to disclosing information about the robots' safety and manufacturer, businesses must also submit an Economic Impact Assessment and a Workforce Mitigation Plan.
This plan requires businesses to agree to one of three options for any workers whose jobs are taken by the machines: redeploy them with at least equal pay, give them 60 days' notice plus severance, or pay a new "County Automation Impact Fee" into a Workforce Retraining Fund.
That fee would help fund retraining for people whose jobs are lost to automation, putting some of the cost on the businesses introducing the robots. Companies choosing this option would pay into a county fund intended to help displaced workers learn new skills and find other employment.
The county says final adoption is pending, with the ordinance taking effect 30 days afterward.
While AI might be the more immediate threat to a greater number of jobs, humanoid robots have been pushing into more industries. Amazon has been using robots in its warehouses for years, while BMW announced plans to put Figure's humanoids to work in its factories. Hyundai's proposed deployment prompted its union to warn of a "huge employment shock." The machines are also being tested by Japan Airlines at Tokyo's Haneda Airport as baggage-handling assistants.
– Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 7, 2026
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