The Rise of Automation and Its Impact on San Mateo County

Silicon Valley is a hotbed of innovation, and deserves credit for much of America's economic growth over the last several decades. Today, an increasing number of local innovators look towards artificial intelligence and machine learning as a means of discovering the next big thing.

However using machines to do everything from analyzing large sets of data using artificial intelligence, to replacing human workers making widgets on an assembly line, is not without controversy. Many communities and entire industries fear the prospect of having their jobs overtaken by robotic workers.

While San Mateo County's workforce does not rely on a whole lot of manufacturing jobs, the topic of automation is relevant nonetheless, as much of the technology for automation comes from our own backyard. Below are 5 examples of how automation already is impacting our local community and the surrounding region today:

1) Robotic Grocery Delivery: In Redwood City, DoorDash is now using specialized 6-wheeled robots to pick up and deliver food from restaurants to customers in the local area. The manufacturer of the robots, Starship Technologies of London, claims that their "couriers can finish deliveries in as little as 15 to 30 minutes". A reporter from Business Insider recently followed one robotic courier for a day to see how the technology worked. Read more here.

2) The Teachers of the Future: Can you imagine attending a parent-teacher conference and sitting across the table from a robot? The idea may not be as far-fetched as you think. Per a recent Silicon Valley Business Journal article, San Mateo-based Wonder Workshop's "Dash and Dot robots and suite of apps teach STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills to children as young as 6." While the current version of these bots function more as an aid to the human teacher rather than a replacement, it will be interesting to see where the technology goes in the coming years.

3) AI and Personal Sales Assistants: According to the thought leaders of sales from San Francisco and San Mateo-based Salesforce, the future of sales is artificial intelligence. Rather than simply using a CRM or a smartphone to assist with sales, salespeople will rely on a robotic personal sales assistant who will assist with everything from prospecting to closing by offering insights obtained through machine learning processes.

4) Self-Driving Trucks: Lest anyone think Google or Uber are the only players in the world of self-driving cars, consider San Mateo's 21-year-old CEO and robotics enthusiast, Alex Rodrigues. Rodrigues founded his company, Embark, with the intent of solving the transportation industry's "shortage of 100,000 truck drivers in the industry, which is poised to only get worse as baby boomer drivers — the bulk of the industry’s workforce — retire over the next decade." His technology is currently being tested in Nevada as California will not permit tests of autonomous vehicles over five tons.

5) RoboBusiness Conferences: Over 900 companies from 30 different countries are expected to attend this year's Global Conference of Robotics and Business. Now in its 12th year, the event aims to offer action plans that can be immediately put to use for businesses seeking the economic benefit of robotics and automation.

Automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence are destined to become a bigger and bigger part of our daily lives. It is no longer a question of if, but instead when? Keep an eye on things happening in the local region, as much of this innovation is occurring right here in San Mateo county.