Amazon is conducting trials of humanoid robots in its US warehouses as part of its ongoing efforts to automate and enhance operational efficiency. The move, described by Amazon as a means to “free employees up to better deliver for our customers,” involves testing a new robot named “Digit,” which boasts arms and legs, enabling it to move, grasp, and handle items in a manner similar to a human.
Digit is designed to navigate the warehouse environment, including handling steps and stairs, and perform tasks such as picking up and moving packages, containers, and customer orders. While the robot is currently in the prototype phase, the trial aims to assess its safety and effectiveness when working alongside human employees.
Amazon is no stranger to implementing automation in its warehouses, employing a wide range of robotic systems to optimize its operations. According to the company, over 750,000 robots are now working collaboratively with human staff, primarily focusing on highly repetitive tasks.
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The use of robotics in its warehouses has, in Amazon’s view, created hundreds of thousands of new jobs, including skilled roles that did not previously exist within the company.
Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics’ chief technologist, emphasized the irreplaceable role of human workers in the fulfillment process, dispelling the notion of fully automated warehouses in the future. He highlighted the importance of human capabilities, such as higher-level thinking and problem-solving, which cannot be replaced by automation.
“There’s not any part of me that thinks that would ever be a reality,” he said.
“People are so central to the fulfilment process; the ability to think at a higher level, the ability to diagnose problems.”
Despite these assertions, Amazon’s increasing automation efforts have raised concerns among labor unions. Stuart Richards, an organizer at the UK trade union GMB, commented on Amazon’s automation, stating that the company had been “treating their workers like robots for years” and that automation has led to job losses within fulfillment centers.
The ongoing trials with Digit and other robotic systems underscore Amazon’s commitment to leveraging automation to streamline its operations while continuing to integrate human expertise and creativity to maintain optimal fulfillment processes.
A conversation between Scott Dresser of Amazon Robotics and the BBC suggested that the fears over human jobs being replaced didn’t match what had happened at Amazon.
“Our experience has been these new technologies actually create jobs, they allow us to grow and expand. And we’ve seen multiple examples of this through the robots that we have today.
“They don’t always run unfortunately and we need people to repair them,” he said.