Amazon on Tuesday launched a man-made intelligence-based monitoring system to implement social distancing at its places of work and warehouses to assist cut back any threat of contracting the brand new coronavirus amongst its staff.
The unveiling comes because the world’s largest on-line retailer faces intensifying scrutiny from US lawmakers and unions over whether or not it’s doing sufficient to guard workers from the pandemic.
Monitors arrange within the firm’s warehouses will spotlight staff preserving a secure distance in inexperienced circles, whereas staff who’re nearer can be highlighted in crimson circles, Amazon said.
The system, known as Distance Assistant, makes use of digicam footage in Amazon’s buildings to additionally assist establish high-traffic areas.
Amazon, which can open supply the expertise behind the system, will not be the primary firm to show to AI to trace compliance with social distancing.
Several corporations have advised Reuters that AI camera-based software program can be essential to staying open, as it’ll enable them to point out not solely staff and prospects, but additionally insurers and regulators, that they’re monitoring and imposing secure practices.
However, privateness activists have raised issues about more and more detailed monitoring of individuals and have urged companies to restrict use of AI to the pandemic.
The system is stay at a handful of buildings, Amazon mentioned on Tuesday, including that it deliberate to deploy lots of of such items over the following few weeks.
© Thomson Reuters 2020
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