Amazon tries humanoid robots in warehouses, addresses worker displacement concerns

Amazon, the e-commerce giant, has initiated a trial of humanoid robots in one of its US warehouses as part of its efforts to enhance operational automation.

The robot, named Digit, is a two-legged machine capable of grasping and lifting items, primarily used for moving empty tote boxes within the warehouse.

Digit was developed by a start-up based in Corvallis, Oregon. Unlike traditional wheeled robots, it moves on two legs and stands at a height of 5 feet 9 inches, weighing 65 kg. The robot demonstrates versatile mobility, capable of walking backward, forward, and sideways, as well as crouching.

It features arms designed for picking up and relocating various items, including packages, containers, customer orders, and other objects.

Amazon's initial application for this robotic technology is to assist employees with tote recycling, a repetitive process that involves collecting and relocating empty totes once their inventory has been depleted.

This move has prompted concerns about its potential impact on Amazon's large workforce of nearly 1.5 million human employees.

Tye Brady, the chief technologist at Amazon Robotics, acknowledged that while some jobs might become redundant due to automation, the deployment of robots is expected to create new employment opportunities, reported The Guardian.

Brady, speaking at a press conference, emphasised Amazon's goal of eliminating "all the menial, the mundane, and the repetitive" tasks within the company's operations. The company aims to leverage technology to streamline its business processes and improve efficiency.

However, workers' unions have criticised Amazon for its approach to automation, accusing the company of treating its employees like robots for years.

Stuart Richards, an organiser at the UK trade union GMB, voiced concerns about the rapid shift toward automation, citing the loss of hundreds of jobs in Amazon's fulfilment centres.