Is augmented reality better than empathy?

While there is something to be said for efforts to enhance service, whether a flight attendant wearing augmented reality ( AR) glasses as part of an improvement initiative will really set passengers at ease is doubtful.

A few airlines are already touting this technology as the next great leap forward in customised service. But for at least some people the sight of a crew member sporting a visor-like contraption that shows real-time data on passengers brings to mind uncomfortable images of The Terminator getting a constant stream of information on his targets. What happened to the good old human trait of empathy and sympathy, both of which have served many people well when it comes to understanding and anticipating what people need or feel?

Non-AR-geared cabin crews may not be able to know telepathically where each passenger is headed or whether any are allergic to peanuts — cited by various AR equipment makers as plus points — that same information can be naturally gathered by the simple and time-tested method of asking questions.

Most routine queries asked by the service industry are not likely to prompt outrage. However, the very idea that personal (if not private) information is being seen by another may cause consternation even though that prior knowledge may result theoretically save many from anaphylactic shock.