That grocery store self-checkout AI that tracked me as a shoplifter

I stopped at the Kroger on 5th street last Tuesday to grab a bag of apples and a loaf of bread. The self-checkout camera flagged me for 'unscanned item' even though I scanned both things right in front of it. Now they've got these AI systems watching every move, but what happens when it falsely accuses someone who can't prove their innocence? On one hand it cuts theft, on the other hand it treats honest folks like criminals before they even do anything wrong. Which side do you lean on for these retail surveillance tools?

4 comments

4 Comments

sagew501mo ago

Last time this happened to me at a Target in Arlington I just stood there and made the attendant watch me rescan everything. They look real stupid when the machine is wrong. Honestly these systems are great if you're a big corporation saving money on security guards but terrible if you're just trying to buy your stuff in peace. I'd rather deal with a few actual thieves than have their bad AI hassle every regular customer who forgets to put their bananas on the scale just right.

jesser791mo ago

Target Arlington called corporate last month and @sagew50 that's why the scale sensitivity got cranked up.

jade_singh17d ago

I heard somewhere these systems have like a 30% error rate on heavier items but they claim it's way lower in their press releases. Seems like everyone's getting tired of being treated like a shoplifter over a bag of oranges.

the_john17d ago

Brought a cucumber to self-checkout once and the thing had a meltdown like I was trying to smuggle a gold bar.