Amazon is set to have more robots than human workers in its warehouses for the first time as the business ramps up its use of automation and AI.
The online giant now operates over 1 million robots globally — a fivefold increase since 2020 — including mechanical arms and wheeled transporters.
This figure nears the total number of employees in its shipping warehouses, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Amazon says robots assist workers by reducing heavy lifting and allowing staff to move into technical roles such as robot maintenance. The company shipped 3,870 packages per employee last year, up from 175 in 2015, as automation boosts productivity.
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Amazon CEO Andy Jassy told CNBC that AI will reduce the number of employees needed for some roles but create others. “Like with every technical transformation, there will be fewer people doing some of the jobs that the technology actually starts to automate.
“But there’s going to be other jobs,” he said.
He added that AI will free employees from “rote work” and “make all our jobs more interesting,” enabling faster innovation.
Amazon has retrained 700,000 workers since 2019 but expects its workforce to shrink as it embraces AI and automation.
It has cut more than 27,000 jobs since early 2022, with recent layoffs in retail and devices divisions.
A company spokesperson said: “These shifts, supported by new automation and AI systems, help us get closer to customers, create jobs in new communities, and improve the experience for both employees and shoppers.”
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