Robot Bartenders Targeted by Senate Republican (2)

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Aug. 21 floated an amendment to a spending package (H.R. 6157) that could stop robot bartenders from serving up cold ones.

The proposed amendment would prohibit the Defense Department from using funds to develop “beerbots” or other automated bartenders. It comes as automated brewing machines have replaced human bartenders in some bars and restaurants.

“There’s just a lot of willy-nilly spending these days,” Flake told Bloomberg Law. And “why in the world would you spend Department of Defense funding for beerbots?” He added, “There are beerbots in the private sector already, so why would we devote ...