According to a recent report, Amazon is ditching its “Just Walk Out” technology from all US Fresh grocery stores. However, it mangled up with a display of its futuristic AI system checkout.

Detractors have quickly noticed this blunder and mocked it: “This technology, touted as a futuristic AI-powered self-checkout system, apparently had a hidden human element.”

According to reports, Amazon painted a picture of a seamless “Just Walk Out” experience: scan a QR code, grab groceries, and walk out. Cameras and sensors, they claimed, would track items and charge customers automatically.

They emphasized advanced technology like computer vision and deep learning models. The project’s vice president, Jon Jenkins, assured customers the system could distinguish shoppers without needing biometric data.

However, in a report, Gizmodo revealed a different reality. “Only half of Amazon Fresh stores had the technology, and while it seemed automated, over 1,000 employees in India were manually reviewing video footage to ensure accurate billing. The cashiers were essentially relocated, working remotely instead of at checkout,” the Gizmodo report said.

The news sparked discussions online, with many criticizing the technology’s reliance on a hidden workforce in India. Users pointed out the irony of “AI” powered by offshore labor, or ‘All Indian”, and called it a dystopian reality and expressed concerns about AI simply becoming a way to relocate jobs and reduce wages.