Major retailer “Amazon” has announced the utilization of humanoid robots in its warehouses in the United States. These robots work in sync with human workers, and a robot named “Digit” was tested in a warehouse in Texas. This robot has arms and legs and is capable of handling and picking up parcels just like human workers.
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail,” this move has raised concerns about the fate of 1.5 million human workers at Amazon, with 750,000 robots currently operating in the company’s facilities worldwide. The replacement of human workers with robots is a new development, causing worry about the future of human employees at the company. The company denied any intention of transitioning to “robot-only” warehouses.
Currently, a two-footed robot is used to transport empty boxes in the warehouse. This robot is five feet nine inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. It is capable of picking up and carrying items weighing up to 35 pounds.
Ty Brady, the lead technology expert in Amazon Robotics, revealed that testing of the robot “Digit,” featuring two feet and developed by Agility Robotics, was still in very early stages.
Ty Brady, the Senior Technical Expert at Amazon Robotics, stated: “We are dedicating a lot of attention to better understanding it and knowing its suitability for our operations.”
The company claims that Digit from Agility Robotics is capable of performing many tasks carried out by humans that involve excessively repetitive actions, significant physical effort, or pose risks for human clients they interact with.
Reports confirm that this is part of a wave of humanoid robots emerging from various technology companies, ranging from startups to major companies like Tesla led by Elon Musk. Tesla is developing a humanoid robot called Optimus, as Musk believes robots could be more important in the future than the company’s vehicles.
Goldman Sachs predicts that the value of the humanoid robot market is expected to reach $150 billion annually worldwide within 15 years. Humanoid robots are expected to be present in factories by 2025 and 2028, and in other sectors by 2030 to 2035.
Amazon is investing significant amounts in robotics following the announcement of a $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund in the previous year.
Other companies like Sanctuary AI believe that robots will be able to perform any human task within ten years, with their robot named “Phoenix” being showcased for material handling in commercial premises.
Amazon has stated that two-footed robots they own will not replace human jobs, as technology can leverage freeing up employees to provide better services to customers.
Amazon claimed that their robotic systems have created hundreds of thousands of new jobs within their operations. The company explained: “These recruitments include 700 categories of new jobs in advanced skills areas that did not exist in the company previously.”
