Retail robots Stores are buying them in record numbers, but human jobs still safe NOELLE HARFFThe San Diego UnionTribune Aug 26, 2026 Aug 26, 2026 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save NOELLE HARFFThe San Diego UnionTribune BUSINESSkAm#6E2:=6CD 2C6 3FJ:?8 C@3@ED :? C64@C5 ?F>36CD[ 2?5 J@FVG6 AC@323=J D66? E96> :? DE@C6D] $2? s:68@ C@3@E:4D 4@>A2?Jk^AmkAmqC2:? r@CA 56A=@J65 >@C6 E92? d_[___ C@3@ED 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5 H:E9 :ED 2CE:7:4:2= :?E6==:86?46 D@7EH2C6 2?5 C6A@CE65 C64@C5 8C@HE9 @7 egT :? D2=6D E9:D J62C] xED C@3@ED H@C< :? DE@C6D =:<6 (2=>2CE[ $2>VD r=F3 2?5 %2C86E[ E2<:?8 :?G6?E@CJ 2?5 D4CF33:?8 7=@@CD]k^AmkAmqC2:? r@CA 92D 366? 2C@F?5 D:?46 a__h 2?5 C2:D65 >@C6 E92? Saa_ >:==:@? 3F:=5:?8 C@3@ED E@ 2FE@>2E6 ;@3D E92E 2C6 Q5F==[ 52?86C@FD 2?5 5:CEJ[Q D2:5 y@9? q=24<[ E96 4@>A2?JVD 49:67 E649?@=@8J @77:46C]k^Am People are also reading… New parking signs installed throughout downtown Lake Geneva Illinois apple orchard opens market store in Walworth UW-Madison offers mental health resources after off-campus death GOP shifts attention to Bryan Steil reelection effort 3 things that stood out from Bucks’ preseason Week 9 high school football scores Lake Geneva city attorney could become appointed position Botham Vineyards closing, returning to prairie and a homestead 3 things that stood out from Wisconsin men's basketball's exhibition win over UW-Green Bay Lake Geneva Public Library to celebrate landmark designation UW-Madison offers mental health resources after off-campus death Geneva Lake Arts Foundation assists with Holiday Home Camp project Geneva Joint No. 4 School District seeks referendum approval Brewers' Jake Bauers adds to storybook year by winning NLCS MVP honors ‘Newlyweds’ makes old sitcom formula work for contemporary times kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei3@=5QmpFE@?@>J 2?5 >@?@E@?Jk^DA2?mk^AmkAmqC2:? r@CA 3F:=5D E96 3C2:?D :? C@3@ED] xED >@DE H6==\<?@H? C@3@ED =@@< =:<6 D>2== +2>3@?:D[ 2FE@?@>@FD=J 4=62?:?8 8C@46CJ DE@C6 2:D=6D] %96 4@>A2?JVD ?6H6DE 3@E D@7EH2C6 2FE@>:K6D @?6 @7 E96 5F==6DE ;@3D :? C6E2:=i 4@F?E:?8 3@I6D]k^AmkAm%@52J[ D@>6 C6E2:= 6>A=@J66D DA6?5 2? 6?E:C6 6:89E\9@FC D9:7E H2=<:?8 2:D=6 3J 2:D=6[ D42??:?8 :E6> 3J :E6>[ 4@F?E:?8 :?G6?E@CJ] %9@D6 >@?@E@?@FD 2?5 E65:@FD E2D<D 2C6 6I24E=J H92E C@3@ED 2C6 7@C[ q=24< D2:5]k^Am kAm%96 e\7@@E\E2== A@=6[ 7:EE65 H:E9 42>6C2D 2?5 H966=D[ @7E6? 5@6D 2 36EE6C ;@3 E92? 2 A6CD@?]k^Am kAmp G:C2= G:56@ DAC625 24C@DD E96 :?E6C?6E D9@H:?8 2 9F>2? H2C69@FD6 6>A=@J66 H@C<:?8 2=@?8D:56 2 C@3@E] %96 =:G6DEC62> 42AEFC6D 6G6CJ E:>6 E96 9F>2? 4=@4<D :? 7@C 2 D9:7E @C 4=@4<D @FE 7@C 2 32E9C@@> 3C62<] |62?H9:=6[ E96 C@3@E 4@?E:?F6D]k^AmkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei3@=5QmuF?4E:@?2=[ ?@E 7F?k^DA2?mk^AmkAms6DA:E6 E96 G:C2= G:56@D @7 C@3@ED E92E DAC625 @?=:?6[ >@DE @7 E96 2FE@?@>@FD C@3@ED qC2:? r@CA A@H6CD =@@< ?@E9:?8 =:<6 A6@A=6]k^Am kAmp55:?8 7246D[ =68D 2?5 5@K6?D @7 6IEC2 ;@:?ED 255D 4@>A=6I:EJ[ ?@E G2=F6] Q%96 36DE C@3@ED 2C6 24EF2==J E96 @?6D E92E J@F 5@?VE ?@E:46] %96J 5@?VE 86E E96 >@DE 9625=:?6D[Q q=24< D2:5] w6 C676C6?465 G:C2= G:56@D @7 C@3@ED F?4@?EC@==23=J 52?4:?8 2?5 <:4<:?8 49:=5C6?]k^Am kAmw6 D2:5 E96 G:C2= C@3@E 4=:AD E92E =@@< 7F? @? %:<%@< @C *@F%F36 2C6 QDFA6C D<6E49JQ 7C@> 2 D276EJ 6?8:?66CVD A@:?E @7 G:6H[ 3642FD6 E96D6 >249:?6D 2C6 3:8 2?5 A@H6C7F= 6?@F89 E@ 42FD6 C62= 92C>]k^AmkAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei3@=5Qm}@E 2 C6A=246>6?Ek^DA2?mk^Am kAmx? E96 7:CDE 92=7 @7 E9:D J62C[ qC2:? r@CAVD C@3@ED C2? >@C6 E92? d]b >:==:@? 9@FCD — E96 6BF:G2=6?E @7 e__ J62CD @7 4@?E:?F@FD 2FE@?@>@FD @A6C2E:@?[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 4@>A2?J]k^AmkAm$@>6 ;@3D :? C6E2:= 42?VE 36 2FE@>2E65[ q=24< D2:5]k^Am kAmQ#@3@ED 2C6 G6CJ 8@@5 2E C6A6E:E:G6[ A9JD:42==J 56>2?5:?8 2?5 9:89=J AC65:4E23=6 E2D<D[Q 96 D2:5] Q!6@A=6 C6>2:? 72C 36EE6C DF:E65 7@C C@=6D E92E :?G@=G6 ;F58>6?E]Qk^Am kAm#@3@ED DE:== 42?VE C6=:23=J 5@ 6G6? C6=2E:G6=J >6?:2= E2D<D =:<6 C6DE@4<:?8]k^Am kAmq=24< A@:?E65 E@ 2? :?72>@FD v@@8=6 s66A|:?5 4=:A :? H9:49 2 C@3@E H2D E2D<65 H:E9 C6DE@4<:?8 E96 49:A 2:D=6 — 2?5 :E =@@<65 =:<6 E96 %6C>:?2E@C E@@< @? %@DE:E@D]k^AmkAmxE H2D :>AC6DD:G6 9@H E96 C@3@E :56?E:7:65 H9:49 328D @7 49:AD H6C6 H9:49 2?5 7@F?5 E96 4@CC64E A=246 2?5 AC:46 7@C 6249] qFE E96 C@3@E 925 ?@ :562 9@H E@ 92?5=6 E96 328D E96>D6=G6D[ 2?5 :E 6?565 FA 4CFD9:?8 2?5 E9C@H:?8 E96>]k^AmkAm%96 C646?E=J C6=62D65 v6? a C@3@ED[ 9@H6G6C[ D66> E@ 36 :>AC@G:?8 @? E96:C 56IE6C:EJ]k^Am kAmkDA2? DEJ=6lQ7@?E\H6:89Ei3@=5Qm%@H2C5 F?56CDE2?5:?8k^DA2?mk^AmkAm%@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E 2 C@3@E 42? 2?5 42?VE 5@[ :E 96=AD E@ =@@< 2E 9@H :E A6C46:G6D :ED 6?G:C@?>6?E]k^AmkAm%@52JVD C@3@ED 3F:=5 2 A:4EFC6 @7 E96 H@C=5 3J D42??:?8 E96:C DFCC@F?5:?8D 2?5 DE:E49:?8 A:I6=D E@86E96C :?E@ 2 >2A] qFE E@ 2 C@3@E[ 2 A:I6= :D 2 A:I6=] xE 92D ?@ H2J @7 <?@H:?8 E92E E96 A:I6=D 7@C>:?8 2 H2== 2C6 C:8:5 2?5 :>>@G23=6[ H9:=6 E96 A:I6=D 7@C>:?8 2 3:CE952J 42<6 2C6 D@7E 2?5 65:3=6]k^Am kAm(6:89E[ A6C>2?6?46 2?5 E6IEFC6 — ?@?6 @7 E92E C68:DE6CD] p C@3@E D:>A=J 56E64ED E92E D@>6E9:?8 :D E96C6[ E96? >2E496D :E 282:?DE 42E68@C:6D :E H2D EC2:?65 E@ C64@8?:K6] qC2:? r@CAVD C@3@ED :? C6E2:= DE@C6D[ 2:CA@CED 2?5 H2C69@FD6D 42? :56?E:7J @3;64ED H:E9@FE 6G6C F?56CDE2?5:?8 E96>]k^Am kAm$E:==[ E96 C@3@ED 2C6 86EE:?8 D>2CE6C]k^AmkAm%@52J[ qC2:? r@CA :D H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 &?:G6CD:EJ @7 r2=:7@C?:2[ $2? s:68@[ E@ 4C62E6 2 D6>2?E:4 >2A E92E 42? 96=A C@3@ED 4@>AC696?5 E96 A9JD:42= H@C=5 2C@F?5 E96>] qJ 255:?8 42>6C2D 2?5 px >@56=D[ C@3@ED 42? 368:? E@ F?56CDE2?5 @3;64ED[ ?@E ;FDE :56?E:7J E96>]k^Am kAmQ%92EVD E96 9@=J 8C2:= 7@C C@3@E:4D — E96 C@3@E ;FDE D66D 2? :>286[ F?56CDE2?5D E96 E2D< :EVD DFAA@D65 E@ 5@[ 2?5 92?5=6D 6G6CJE9:?8 6=D6 :?D:56 2 3=24< 3@I[Q q=24< D2:5] QxV5 D2J `_ E@ a_ J62CD E@ 36 C62==J 4@>>6C4:2==J 2G2:=23=6]Qk^Am Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Most Popular New parking signs installed throughout downtown Lake Geneva New parking signs have been installed on posts along streets located in paid parking areas in Lake Geneva Illinois apple orchard opens market store in Walworth The market features apple cider doughnuts, pies, breads, apples, cookies, fudge, cider, jams, apple sauce, honey, caramel apples and gift items. UW-Madison offers mental health resources after off-campus death Some people may have witnessed a man’s death Tuesday afternoon at an off-campus building at the corner of North Park and Regent streets, UW-Ma… GOP shifts attention to Bryan Steil reelection effort Wisconsin's key battleground status is attracting some high-profile visitors from D.C. and loads of campaign cash that is likely to fill your … 3 things that stood out from Bucks’ preseason Milwaukee gave new coach Taylor Jenkins much to think about following a slate of practices and five exhibition games. Here’s where things stan…
New parking signs installed throughout downtown Lake Geneva New parking signs have been installed on posts along streets located in paid parking areas in Lake GenevaÂ
Illinois apple orchard opens market store in Walworth The market features apple cider doughnuts, pies, breads, apples, cookies, fudge, cider, jams, apple sauce, honey, caramel apples and gift items.
UW-Madison offers mental health resources after off-campus death Some people may have witnessed a man’s death Tuesday afternoon at an off-campus building at the corner of North Park and Regent streets, UW-Ma…
GOP shifts attention to Bryan Steil reelection effort Wisconsin's key battleground status is attracting some high-profile visitors from D.C. and loads of campaign cash that is likely to fill your …
3 things that stood out from Bucks’ preseason Milwaukee gave new coach Taylor Jenkins much to think about following a slate of practices and five exhibition games. Here’s where things stan…