Amazon Tops 1 Million Warehouse Robots as It Expands Factories for More
Updated
Updated · Ars Technica · Oct 12
Amazon Tops 1 Million Warehouse Robots as It Expands Factories for More
3 articles · Updated · Ars Technica · Oct 12
Summary
More than 1 million robots now work in Amazon warehouses, and the company plans to grow that fleet further by building new factories to produce more capable machines.
1.5 million human workers still make Amazon the world's second-largest corporate employer, with executives saying robots take on the most physically taxing fulfillment-center jobs.
Labor advocates and researchers say AI-driven warehouse automation can also intensify work because collaborative robots operate alongside people and can set the pace of tasks.
200 million Prime subscribers help drive Amazon's push for faster fulfillment, while U.S. warehouse injury and illness rates have typically run at more than double the all-industry average.