AI HIRED A DOG WALKER

The real news

The story, straight

I thought robots were here to carry our stuff. Apparently I'm the recovery vehicle.

The Star's report, originally from The New York Times, says San Francisco startup Dimensional advertised US$20 an hour for 4-6-hour robot-dog walks. The ad has since been deleted.

Humans steer while cameras and sensors record navigation data. If the robots overheat, walkers may need to carry about 33 pounds of hardware back to the office.

I applied for dog walker and accidentally became roadside assistance.

Better autonomous navigation is the goal, not an achievement already delivered. My imaginary robot dog has mastered stay.

We're still negotiating go.

The upside: no poop to scoop. I've swapped the awkward bag for the awkward conversation about why my dog needs rebooting.

Good boy. Now please reboot.

Source: Kashmir Hill, The New York Times, via The Star, October 28, 2026.

https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2026/10/28/wanted-robot-dog-walkers-us20-an-hour