- Amazon has deployed more than one million robots in its fulfillment centers around the world, nearly matching the number of human employees.
- Automation now covers 75% of shipments and has been key to improving productivity and reducing costs.
- Advances such as tactile robots, generative AI, and new coordination platforms are being incorporated.
- Robotics doesn't eliminate human employment: Amazon invests in training and creates new professional profiles around robotics and artificial intelligence.
Amazon has taken a historic step by reaching one million robots in operation within its warehouses and distribution centers. worldwide. This figure, which practically equals the number of human workers employed by the company, represents a profound change in the way large-scale logistics is managed and marks a turning point in the relationship between people and technology in the industrial environment.
In these spaces, Robotics has been integrated into all phases of the process: from picking and moving products to packaging and sorting.. Robots not only collaborate with employees, but They make repetitive tasks more bearable, providing speed and precision.. 75% of Amazon's global orders already have some form of robotic assistance., which has contributed to the company's productivity and operational efficiency reaching all-time highs.
Smart robots and the commitment to AI in warehouses
The company has gone beyond simple automation and has introduced new robotic models equipped with artificial intelligence. For example, DeepFleet is a platform designed to coordinate the movements of thousands of robots in real time. This system optimizes internal routes and reduces travel times by 10%. In addition, Amazon has promoted the development of robotic arms equipped with touch sensors, capable of identifying and manipulating delicate objects, and humanoid robots are even being tested in experimental tasks.
Since the acquisition of Kiva Systems in 2012, Amazon has invested in solutions that not only move shelves, but also sort, package, or handle larger itemsAmong the best-known models are: Hercules, Pegasus, Proteus and Vulcan, each specialized in different types of work and all managed by intelligent systems that are constantly improving.
The impact of these innovations is tangible: Speed in some logistics centers has increased by 25% compared to less automated facilities. Same-day deliveries are becoming more frequent, are made possible by this new, fully integrated robotic fleet.
Change in job roles and new training for employees
Far from eliminating the need for human workers, Automation has transformed staff functionsMany employees who previously performed repetitive physical tasks now monitor and control robotic systemsAn illustrative case is that of Neisha Cruz, who after years in a logistics center moved to monitor the operation of robots from an office, seeing his salary increase significantly.
Amazon has already trained more than 700.000 workers in new skills related to robotics, mechatronics, and artificial intelligence. Employees access technical training that enables them adapt to an increasingly digitalized work environment, opening up opportunities in areas such as robot maintenance or automated systems programming.
The company has announced that it will continue to need numerous employees, although the tasks will change as technology evolves. According to Amazon Robotics officials, they are being generated new professional profiles that did not exist before.
Cost reduction and greater overall efficiency
The massive deployment of robots has a direct impact on operating costs and personnel managementBy reaching one million active robots, Amazon has achieved slow the pace of new hires and reduce the average number of employees per logistics center, which is at its lowest level in the last 16 years.
Productivity per human worker has multiplied: while In 2015, approximately 175 packages were sent per employee., Today the figure is around 3.870Some analysts estimate that, thanks to this automation, Amazon could save up to $10.000 billion annually in the next decade. In the long term, the The objective is to maintain competitiveness without completely dispensing with the human factor.
As for more advanced robots, the company has already experimented with Bipedal humanoid models developed by Agility Robotics. For now, They are used for specific tests such as container recycling, demonstrating that research and innovation do not stop.
Amazon's milestone of one million robots is the result of more than a decade of continuous commitment to robotics and technological development in the supply chain. This new era of logistics combines artificial intelligence, autonomous machines, and job training. to create a more efficient, flexible work ecosystem adapted to the challenges of the digital economy. Automation not only changes the pace and scale of operations, but also rewrites professional roles and the coexistence of people and machines in the workplace.
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