AI robots are roaming L.A. grocery store aisles. Shoppers and workers are worried - Los Angeles Times
archive.today webpage capture Saved from history←priornext→ 16 Oct 2026 16:18:32 UTC All snapshots from host www.latimes.com WebpageScreenshot sharedownload .zipreport bug or abuseBuy me a coffee Sections Show Search BUSINESS AI robots are roaming L.A. grocery store aisles. Shoppers and workers are worried Tally the robot monitors shelves in a Ralphs supermarket on Sept. 30 in Los Angeles. The autonomous, AI-powered inventory robot created by Simbe Robotics patrols retail aisles to scan shelves, track stock levels and check prices. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times) By Ella Chakarian Staff Writer | Follow Oct. 15, 2026 3 AM PT FOR SUBSCRIBERS 157 7 min Tally, a six-foot inventory robot, is rolling through Ralphs and other Los Angeles grocery stores, scanning shelves for missing products and misplaced items. The bots help employees manage inventory, but grocery workers and unions worry automation could cut hours, threaten jobs and monitor staff. Some shoppers also worry the machine