Amazon announced that the company has reached a total of 1 million robots, with 75% of its delivery operations being supported by these robots. A manager from the warehouse workers’ rights organization stated that Amazon is dreaming of reducing the number of employees in high-intensity labor environments.
The U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon revealed on Monday (June 30th) that they have just deployed their one millionth robot. The company boasts a diverse fleet of robots. The Hercules robot can lift and move goods weighing up to 1,250 pounds; the Pegasus robot can handle individual packages using precision conveyor belts; and the fully automated mobile robot Proteus can bypass employees and move heavy carts around.
Amazon mentioned that currently, around 75% of global delivery operations are somehow utilizing robots.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal on Monday (June 30th), robots are also replacing some employees, leading to a slowdown in the company’s hiring pace. Amazon has approximately 1.56 million employees, with most of them working in warehouses.
The comparison made by the Journal between the number of Amazon employees and estimated factory figures revealed that the average number of employees per factory in 2024 was around 670, the lowest level in the past 16 years.
Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy recently stated that the company is also promoting artificial intelligence in its warehouses “to improve inventory layout, demand forecasting, and the efficiency of robots.” Amazon indicated that they plan to reduce the total number of employees in the coming years.
Sheheryar Kaoosji, the executive director of the Warehouse Workers’ Resource Center, expressed concerns about the impact of robot technology on job roles. He mentioned that so far, the changes brought by robots in Amazon’s small warehouses were not as significant as those in large distribution centers. The Warehouse Workers’ Resource Center is a nonprofit organization that represents the rights of warehouse workers.
However, Kaoosji expressed worry, saying that Amazon is envisioning a significant reduction in the number of employees in high-density facilities.