Can Old Hardware Run New AI? How Businesses Can Make Current Hardware Future-Forward

Are you a CIO, CTO, CISO, or IT decision maker in the restaurant or retail industry, grappling with rising costs and tariffs to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change? The pressure to create high-quality solutions with AI while managing existing infrastructure can be challenging.

In this episode of the Tech Transformed Podcast, Shubhangi Dua, podcast host and producer at EM360Tech sits down with Keith Szot, SVP Chief Evangelist at Esper, to talk about how enterprises can extend the lifespan of their current edge devices. They also discuss how such enterprises can easily integrate Edge AI solutions without a complete hardware overhaul.

"Starting out with IT Ops is a tough endeavor. If you are running revenue producing key business operating systems that are out in the field, it's not an easy job,” stated Szot. “With everything that's going on these days, it's not getting any easier. Now, considering tariffs, the impact of AI in terms of how you look at your hardware refresh cycle, it's really tough.”

‘Android is the key’

Specifically alluding to edge devices in restaurant and retail, Szot reflecting on the limitations of traditional operating systems says Android is the key. "If you look at the ISV and the solution provider community, the best and latest solutions for these markets are built on Android.”

“You look at enterprise developers, if you're developing in-house, arguably it's a lot easier to find an Android developer and build a team to focus on creating Android applications than it is in Windows,” he added. “Android is the biggest developer ecosystem in the world in the history of humankind.

Unlike operating systems tied to rapid consumer hardware upgrades, Android offers the flexibility of an open-source project. It allows for greater control over updates and longevity. 

Szot believes that the Android UX is more intuitive. He says that people use phones all the time. “And even if you're an iOS user, the paradigm, if you go to Android, still has a familiarity where the bar to understand how to use the software in the device arguably is lower." This minimises training needs and improves operational efficiency.

In a nutshell, the conversation touches on extending hardware lifecycles for edge devices in the restaurant and retail industry, primarily through the Android flip, to enable the integration of AI at the edge and prepare for future trends like robotics and 5G.

Key Takeaways 

• Extending hardware lifecycles is crucial for cost management.
• Android is becoming the preferred OS for enterprise solutions.
• AI can enhance customer experiences in retail environments.
• Robust hardware design is essential for longevity.
• Transitioning from Windows to Android can save costs.
• Edge AI allows for on-premise processing without latency issues.
• Physical AI will revolutionize the retail and restaurant sectors.
• Quantum computing poses both opportunities and challenges for security.
• Device management is key to maintaining operational efficiency.
• Innovative hardware designs will create new customer experiences.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Edge Devices and AI

03:12 Extending Hardware Lifecycles in Retail

06:06 Transitioning from Windows to Android

08:56 Practical Applications of Edge AI

11:47 AI Integration in Restaurant Kiosks

14:55 Managing Existing Hardware with Software Solutions

18:01 The