Are we moving toward a roleless society?
For the sake of convenience and speed, QR codes at restaurants have demoted the role of waitstaff to that of mere food expediters. It’s now common for no greetings to be exchanged, no orders to be taken, and no gratitude to be shared. We leave cafés and restaurants without thanking—or being thanked by—the staff.
Self-service checkouts in supermarkets and convenience stores are reducing or eliminating front-store roles altogether. Some supermarket chains claim that no jobs are lost to automation, but what they’re really saying is that customer service—and by extension, human interaction—is no longer a priority.
We are witnessing the obsolescence of customer service. It seems the human touch is no longer valued. And if you are satisfied with this type of self-service, you might not be as pleased with the increased scrutiny you're unaware of—under the watchful eye of security cameras monitoring your shopping habits and app software tracking your purchases. Customer service is being replaced by more sophisticated surveillance technology and customer profiling.
Like it or not, we’re moving toward a contactless society. Unstaffed retail environments are becoming the norm. Automation and robotics are replacing human roles. Is this a precursor to a dystopian society, as portrayed in the 2008 animated film WALL-E?
In WALL-E, humans have become so reliant on technology that they can no longer take care of themselves. The humans in the film are portrayed as obese and lazy, spending their entire days sitting in AI-enhanced floating lounges, engrossed in holographic screens, drinking soft drinks, and being attended to by robots.
Rather than merely serving as a cautionary tale of a potential future, the film now stands as a mirror reflecting the ongoing consequences of our growing dependence on technology, where our capacity for independent thought and action is gradually diminishing.
This is especially relevant in the age of social media. While we like to believe we’re connecting with one another, social media has evolved into an ecosystem driven by data mining, consumer marketing, and political influence. Communication happens so quickly that it often triggers a constant desire for approval—we expect immediate likes and comments, feeling disappointed when our posts go unnoticed. And even when engagement occurs, it is often shallow, reduced to a brief like or a generic comment devoid of depth.
Now, with AI, even this minimal effort is being outsourced. AI tools can write our messages, comments, or even posts for us, further diminishing the authenticity of our interactions. Instead of facilitating connection, these technologies push us further into a roleless state, leaving us questioning not just what we do, but who we are.
The Rolelessness Brought by AI
AI is accelerating this shift toward rolelessness in society, fundamentally altering how we engage with one another and the roles we play. Tasks once performed by humans are now delegated to AI systems, from automated customer service chatbots to algorithms that manage hiring processes. These technologies are not just replacing roles—they're reshaping what it means to contribute, connect, and collaborate.
As AI tools become more sophisticated, they blur the boundaries of human responsibility and identity. For instance, AI-generated art and writing are raising questions about the role of creators, while AI-powered decision-making in workplaces reduces human oversight.
The displacement of roles by AI not only erodes opportunities for meaningful work but also distances us from the human interactions that imbue those roles with purpose.
This depersonalisation of roles feeds into a broader cultural shift: a growing reliance on technology that prioritises efficiency over relationships. As AI increasingly mediates our social, professional, and creative lives, the risk of rolelessness expands—leaving many to wonder where, in an AI-driven future, the human touch will remain.
And then, there are those who choose to be roleless.