Companies like Hudson and McDonald’s are testing drive-thru AI, invisible checkout in Chicago. Here’s what that means for jobs – and privacy

Hudson Nonstop at Midway Airport in Chicago on June 10, 2021. Hudson has opened a new store that will use the technology from Amazon Go stores to let customers walk in and take items without going through checkout as items are scanned via the 140 sensors in the store. — Chicago Tribune/TNS

Travelers at Midway Airport may notice something strange about one of its Hudson convenience stores: the cash register is missing.

The Hudson Nonstop store uses technology Amazon developed for its cashierless Amazon Go stores to automatically bill shoppers when they walk out. Instead of manning cash registers, two employees keep shelves stocked and coach travellers on how to navigate the store, occasionally reassuring them they can simply leave with their purchases.