Kindred AI is using human pilots to do what robots can't

Humans are still far better at grasping and manipulating objects than even the best robot arms. At Kindred AI, people are helping the machines overcome that limitation--by becoming their pilots. This article is part of a weekly series paired with our newsletter Clocking In, which covers the impact of emerging technology on the future of work. Kindred now employs six pilots, each of whom tele-operate robots in warehouses around North America. The team is led by software engineer Chris Hayes, who ensures a smooth sharing of duties between pilots and robots--people mainly control the robots' gripping functions, while tasks like sorting the objects and positioning the arm for the next item are automated.