I used the spinning jenny because it is a classic example of a new technology that workers hated at the time and actively tried to destroy but the descendants of which are now considered the standard way to produce threads.

It wasn't a simple machine back then, it was revolutionary.

I think this comment misses the mark on a few points. Let me break it down.

First off, LLMs aren’t meant to physically replace warehouse pickers and packers – that’s not the point. What they can do is supercharge the automation we already have. LLMs can manage logistics, predict inventory, optimize warehouse layouts, and even coordinate robotic systems more efficiently. So while the robots might be doing the heavy lifting, LLMs are the brains that help them work smarter and faster.

Now, about this idea that 30-year-old robotics have already made pickers obsolete – that's not quite right. Sure, we’ve had robots for decades, but the tech has come a long way since then. Early automation was clunky and limited, but modern robots? They’ve got AI-driven vision, flexible grippers, and adaptive systems that let them handle all kinds of tasks, even things as precise as packing odd-shaped items. Amazon, for example, already uses AI-powered robotic arms in their warehouses, and they’re getting better every year.

As for precision – I get why you’d think LLMs aren’t up to that, but they actually play a huge role in making robots more precise. LLMs can process sensor data, adjust algorithms on the fly, and help robots fine-tune their movements. It’s not about replacing humans directly – it’s about helping robots learn and adapt faster.

The Ford and GM example is interesting, but it’s a bit outdated. Sure, back in the 80s and 90s, machinists could outperform the robots, but that’s not the case anymore. Tesla’s Gigafactories, Amazon’s fulfillment centers – modern automation often outpaces human workers now, both in speed and accuracy. The human role is shifting more towards overseeing and maintaining these systems, rather than competing with them directly.

And let’s not forget – warehousing is one of the fastest sectors to automate right now. E-commerce giants are investing heavily in robotic solutions to pick, pack, and sort, and LLMs are driving that forward by managing and optimizing the whole process. The more we lean into AI and automation, the less we need manual labor in these environments.

So yeah, LLMs aren’t coming for warehouse jobs by themselves – but they’re definitely helping push automation to a level where fewer humans are needed. It’s not a far-off future, it’s already happening.