Saw an AI sorting recycling at the dump in Portland last week

Went to drop off some cardboard. There's this machine picking through stuff on the conveyor belt. Arms moving fast. Grabbing plastic bottles out of the paper pile. Human sorter next to it just watching. Said it catches 30% more than people do. Crazy to see it work in real time. Anyone else run into these at their local dump?

3 comments

3 Comments

ross.felix2mo ago

Wait, wasn't that thing super loud? Tbh I saw one at our transfer station last month and it was way faster than I expected. Ngl it made me a little uneasy watching those arms whip around. But honest truth, the human sorter looked bored out of his mind.

willow4072mo ago

@ross.felix makes a good point about the noise, bet that machine never complains though.

the_zara1mo ago

Bet that machine doesn't call in sick on Mondays or take 45 minute breaks either. I watched one zip through a pile of mixed recycling like it was nothing while the human next to it looked like he was moving through molasses. Made me wonder who trained who at that point. Guess the noise is a fair trade for never having to hear "I can't lift that it's too heavy" again.