Aarian Marshall: Hi.
Michael Calore: Given today’s topic, I’m curious what’s the most unexpected thing you’ve both ordered through a delivery app?
Louise Matsakis: I was recently on a press trip to China and during an interview I was taking notes and my white pants got filthy with a pen. So I ordered the Chinese equivalent of the Tide pen. I think this is probably the weirdest thing I’ve ever had on demand.
Aarian Marshall: I am constitutionally opposed to paying for delivery, even before apps existed. I hated paying suppliers. I respect their work, but I prefer to spend my money in a different way. So I think I got really desperate recently and ordered pad Thai, which was crazy for me. So here’s where I am.
Michael Calore: This is your most unexpected thing?
Aarian Marshall: Yes, the fact that I used it at all is unexpected.
Michael Calore: Yes, I mean I live in one of the most populated parts of California’s West Coast and rarely exploit delivery apps, but I would say that probably the most unexpected thing I’ve ever ordered is a bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey.
Aarian Marshall: Respect.
Michael Calore: This is WIRED Uncanny Valleya show about the people, power and influence of Silicon Valley. Today we talk about how, after years of struggling to deliver applications, companies are still trying to deploy their robots right at your door. At an event earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own recent autonomous robot called Dot. The company says one of the goals is to have a hybrid, citing: “The work model for deliveries in the future, working with people, but also drones and autonomous vehicles combined.” But DoorDash isn’t alone in trying to get a robot to deliver your dinner. The autonomous delivery industry continues to evolve and faces significant challenges along the way. We’ll delve into why some of these companies are still betting on delivery robots, the race to create the right technology to exploit in them, and what having fleets of robots in our cities could mean for all of us. My name is Michael Calore, Director of Technology and Consumer Culture.