Amazon has ramped up its robotic workforce in fulfilment centres, asserting itself as the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturer. Business Insider’s report reveals a surge in robot numbers from 3.5 lakh in 2021 to 7.5 lakh by mid-2023.
Various robots, including Robin and Sparrow, streamline operations at Amazon’s Robotics Innovation Hub near Boston. Robin, described as one of Amazon’s most complex stationary robot arm systems, aids in scanning and sorting packages, while Sparrow optimises the fulfillment process.
Similarly, Proteus and Hercules handle container movement, while the Sequoia system sorts and shifts containers to lessen strain on human workers. Amazon claims Sequoia increases productivity by 75 per cent expediting inventory storage and order processing, resulting in faster lead times for shipping.
With these efforts, incident rates at Amazon’s robotic sites dropped by 15-18 per cent for recorded incidents and lost-time incidents, respectively, in 2022 compared to non-robotic facilities.
Furthermore, the company emphasised its commitment to job creation, stating that over the past decade, it has introduced hundreds of thousands of robotics systems while also generating hundreds of thousands of new skilled roles within its operations.
Consequently, the 2023 annual report reveals that despite Amazon’s growing robot workforce, which remains smaller than its total employee count of 1.525 million, the company has reduced jobs in Amazon Web Services. This decision comes despite a notable revenue increase to $143.3 billion in the first quarter of the year, surpassing expectations.
