CK – Kwok Sze Ki

Will Robots eventually replace Baristas? In our rapidly advancing technological world, difficult discussions constantly arise. Discussions that ten or fifteen years ago would have seemed like jokes or science fiction can now tear a room apart due to differing opinions. But what if we’ve found a way to start those difficult discussions? That’s what C.K., one of our newest designers for the coffee wristbands programme, is attempting to do.

Currently residing in Hong Kong, China, Kwok Sze Ki is popularly known as C.K., since that is how her last name is pronounced. She strode into the coffee industry as a part-time barista at the university. On completing her degree in graphic design, C.K.’s desire to start a coffee shop grew as her love for coffee superseded that of designing. She launched Islet Coffee Lab in November 2023, and during its opening period, she gained qualifications as a sensory judge for the Hong Kong SCA Barista Championship and Brewer’s Cup, learning roasting, going even as far as the U.K.

She kept one guiding principle in mind,

 

“I always want to do something to make coffee fun.”

 

Six years post-graduation, she now works at Islet Coffee Lab as a barista while slotting in her design skills in exceptional ways as a member of the coffee media. She started years ago with the now-defunct blog, AvaClub, where her friend wrote about coffee while she curated the artwork. Currently, she runs her blog, Ace of Cups, where she writes about general coffee knowledge with her illustrations, which preach her message to “make coffee fun” and simplify the science behind it.

 

This is where C.K. drew inspiration for her coffee wristband design: an intersection of technology, coffee, and whimsical artistry. In her worry about the implications of automation in the coffee brewing process, C.K. came across our call for new wristband designers and saw it as an avenue to address her concerns. She understands the importance of technology in any field, but what matters is how much control we give technology.

 

Set against a backdrop of vibrant pop art, the debuting wristband features a man craving coffee and seeming burned out, beside a robot brewing the coffee. This raises the question, “Do we want robots brewing our coffee?” This question doesn’t have an obvious answer, but a clear thinking process and space for conversation will help coffee enthusiasts know how they perceive our quickly advancing world. When she first shared her wristband design with her close circle of friends, it raised a lot of questions, which made her wonder,

 

“Did I go too far? Did I present the wrong message?”

 

As much as we at I’M NOT A BARISTA believe that she sends the right message, we also understand why it could be misconstrued as ‘going too far.’ The concept of robots taking an active part in the coffee brewing process is not new, as there have been startups in China and other parts of the world working on this concept long before now. From what we gathered, most of these startups fell through because of one thing: ‘Human Ingenuity.’

 

What’s the difference between now and then? Are humans no longer creative? Why does it seem like if these startups got into the game now, they would be the ChatGPT for the coffee industry?

 

In 2023, C.K. attended the exhibit of the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Japan. She took note of a ‘robot barista’ with two arms, one to brew and another for any assistive tasks. It could also make latte art, another highly respected art form in the coffee industry. It didn’t require any human baristas to operate it, only minimal supervision, and it was capable of making consistent and accurately measured cups of coffee. The latte art it made didn’t need to have any special meaning; it simply recreated the art because it was asked to do so.

 

“If they choose to welcome automation, then that’s their choice. There’s nothing there for us to judge. What we do is stir up awareness of the moment.”

 

While we welcome innovation in the coffee industry, the decision to accept these advancements must be made by coffee people and not for them. Coffee people should be able to choose if they want automation in charge or the actual baristas.

 

Homebrewers are the first market for automation in coffee. The focus is to remove the need to perform any task where you simply press a button and get your coffee in return. The difference here lies in the fact that these same consumers can leave their homes, visit a coffee shop, and chat with their favorite baristas while their coffee is being made. They can discuss difficulties they experienced in their homebrew and receive advice from the seasoned barista.

 

“Automation is great for consistency. But for specificity, like your personality, you will enjoy a fail shot sometimes.”

 

People need to have options to make their own decisions, and it raises the question of whether baristas are needed at all. It also causes baristas to decide if they want to remain baristas in a world where their competition is a robot programmed to perform a job they spent years mastering.

The goal is that coffee made by humans will always be superior, but these discussions have to happen. They are needed in times like these, where the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) introduces new rules that compulsorily require competitors to use special equipment for some parts of their brewing process. Indeed, some of these companies may have special partnerships with the SCA, but the main problem here is that of choice.

 

A good number of competitors we have spoken to prefer not to use these equipment, but use it anyway because of brand deals, regulations, and the level of competition. A lot of their skills are built on years of practice and experimentation; if they are no longer needed, the creativity and unpredictability of the coffee industry will be replaced by monochromatic and consistent-tasting cups of coffee.

 

It can be agreed that there is a need for sustainability and management of Earth’s resources, but this shouldn’t come at the expense of people’s preferences. One thing is sure: the coffee world will grow with advancements, and we will have to find a way to grow alongside it unless we want to be left in the dark. But just like any emerging technology, it will always cause a divide.

 

“They will both exist, but they will satisfy different segments of the public. Whichever is the majority has no meaning to it. It doesn’t mean the majority wins. It just means they will both exist, just like when we were first introduced to the email.”

 

Regardless of how it may seem, we still have a bright future to look forward to; the best robot can never replace human ingenuity. There will always be people willing to work with their hands: those who choose to keep these skills relevant; those who will sign up for latte art classes, learn how to make a good froth of milk, and then learn the beauty that is latte art.