RobotLAB, a Dallas-based robotics firm, has recently broadened its operations with the launch of a new warehouse and showroom in Las Vegas. The company is showcasing its four-foot-tall robots throughout the city’s lively casinos, resorts, and restaurants. These robots are engineered to handle a range of tasks, such as cleaning hotel rooms, serving drinks, ensuring security, and providing directions and information. Furthermore, they can entertain patrons by singing, dancing, and even giving fist bumps.
“Robots introduce automation to repetitive chores — like serving food, cleaning, and more,” stated Ketan Vaidya, a partner at RobotLAB Las Vegas, during a conversation with *Mashable*. “Rather than having employees engaged in low-value, labor-intensive tasks, robots can take over those duties, allowing employees to concentrate on delivering exceptional service to their clients.”
Although some Las Vegas visitors might be apprehensive about robot housekeepers and artificial concierges, the novelty aspect and potential cost reductions could alleviate some worries. Robots aren’t entirely unfamiliar to the city, as robotic bartenders have been mixing drinks for years. Nonetheless, the larger challenge for RobotLAB and similar companies resides in how human workers — currently managing these so-called “low-value” jobs — will react to the prospect of robots taking their place.
In expectation of such changes, the influential UNITE HERE Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has proactively tackled the rise of automation. The union has secured “innovative technology language” in its agreements with major resort casinos on the Las Vegas Strip to shield workers from the challenges posed by automation.
“The Culinary Union achieved a robust contract in 2018 that incorporates innovative technology language to protect workers when new technology is introduced,” remarked Bethany Khan, spokesperson and director of communications and digital strategy for UNITE HERE, in a statement to *Mashable*. “In 2023, those rights were safeguarded and enhanced.”
The union’s latest agreement includes measures like advance notice when new technology is being implemented that could impact jobs, increased service recognition pay, extended healthcare, and pension contributions for employees affected by automation. While RobotLAB has not yet secured any contracts with notable Strip locations, Vaidya indicated that discussions are underway with various casinos. However, as Khan pointed out, all major resorts on the Strip — including Caesars Palace, MGM Grand, and the Bellagio — are union-affiliated. This implies that RobotLAB must work with UNITE HERE representatives for demonstrations and negotiations before its robots can take on tasks like luggage delivery or bed-making.
For the time being, RobotLAB is thriving with restaurant chains like Kura Revolving Sushi Bar and Sourdough & Co., which are employing the company’s delivery and service robots. Smaller enterprises may also be attracted to RobotLAB’s leasing options, which Vaidya noted range from $20 to $40 daily. When it comes to outright purchases, pricing varies based on the solution, but reports suggest the robots could cost as much as a new vehicle.
Jacob Fisher, RobotLAB Las Vegas General Manager, is optimistic that the arrival of robots will create new job opportunities for humans while also replacing some existing roles. Speaking to KLAS, he explained, “There’s always going to be a person needed to maintain and service the robots. So we are just going to have robot conductors.”
While Fisher’s statements may not entirely reassure UNITE HERE members, the union has established contract terms to assist workers in adapting to technological advancements. These include mandatory free retraining for current jobs involving new technology and free job training for new positions created by automation, according to Khan.
As RobotLAB strives to weave robots into Las Vegas’s service sector, the equilibrium between innovation and worker protection will remain a significant topic of conversation.