If you are out of ammo and the gun stores are closed, the good folks at American Rounds have your back. In an exciting new development in the vending machine universe, they are installing AI-powered bullet dispensers. For now, this bold new venture in automated retailing is limited to a few stores in Alabama and Oklahoma. But given the American gun cultists’ deep affection for their lethal totems, it will not be long before they are as ubiquitous as the soda and snack dispensers tending to Americans’ love for fast and easy retail.
Worrywarts will point out that other age-restricted products like cigarettes and alcohol are no longer sold in vending machines because of the sensible belief that kids can get their hands on things they are not supposed to have - especially if you make it easy for them.
American Rounds has anticipated this concern by boasting that their machines are fool-proof. According to their website:
Our smart retail automated ammo dispensers have built-in AI technology, card scanning capability and facial recognition software.
Each piece of software works together to verify the buyer’s age and that the person using the machine matches the identification scanned.
I hope they are right. Because I am not sure which is worse. A teenager buying bullets. Or a gun owner, who has a sudden urge to buy ammo, being denied their purchase by a technical failure.
By definition, the frustrated customer owns a gun - and may be low on, but not out of, bullets. I feel for the cashier in any convenience store that provides this service for their customers. Because, according to the documentaries I see on YouTube, some of us do not do well in retail establishments when faced with difficulties.
There have been some bumps in the road for American Rounds. As reported by ABC 30/40 News in Alabama:
A Tuscaloosa grocery store removed a vending machine after the legality of the machine was questioned during a pre-council meeting on July 2nd.
During the meeting, Councilman Kip Tyner said; "I got some calls about ammunition being sold in grocery stores, vending machines, the vending machines. Is that? I mean, I thought it was a lie. I thought it was a joke - but it's not."
I agree. It’s not a joke. However, my prediction above that these machines might become ubiquitous, may be premature.
The report goes on to say has it that the real reason the machine was removed was for poor performance.
As for the Tuscaloosa grocery store, a manager for Fresh Value on McFarland Blvd. says the store removed the machine on July 3rd because of a lack of sales.
Sadly, either way, the American gun owner will find few obstacles to buying all the damn bullets they want. They may just need to keep going to the stores where they have traditionally stocked up on ammo every time a Democrat gets elected.