Up until about a year ago, the thought of having robots take on human roles didn’t feel quite “real.” Sure we knew that robotics had taken a huge place in the field of production and assembly, but actually replacing human beings as personal assistants, concierge desk personnel and other positions that seemed only humans are qualified to do didn’t seem as likely. That is until the last year or two. Advances in robotics have grown in leaps and bounds. Cruise ships are implementing robotic bartenders, Mark Zuckerberg is working on having a robotic personal assistant, and now Hilton and IBM just unveiled “Connie” who is the hotel industry’s first robotic concierge in North America.
Named after Hilton’s founder Conrad Hilton, “Connie” can be used by guests to field questions on local tourist attractions, dining recommendations, hotel features and amenities at the Hilton McLean in Virginia. “We’re focused on reimagining the entire travel experience to make it smarter, easier and more enjoyable for guests,” said Jonathan Wilson, vice president, product innovation and brand services, Hilton Worldwide. “By tapping into innovative partners like IBM Watson, we’re wowing our guests in the most unpredictable ways.”
So for those of you out there who saw movies like iRobot thinking that this was our possible future, you were right. Now let’s just hope that “Connie” doesn’t realize that the world would be better off without humans and start a robotic revolution.
Below you’ll find a video that should help educate you more on “Connie.”
https://youtu.be/jC0I08qt5VU
