Number of robots at Amazon hits peak, surpassing human staff
For the first time in company history, the number of robots in Amazon's warehouses has reached a record level relative to the number of employees. With the rise of robots, the number of human personnel has fallen to its lowest level in 16 years.
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Tech giant Amazon continues to revolutionize its warehouse operations by accelerating automation in its logistics processes. According to company data, more than 1 million robots are currently active in Amazon's global facilities. With this development, the number of human employees per warehouse has dropped to an average of 670. This figure marks the lowest level in the last 16 years.
Robots are no longer just lifting or moving heavy loads; they are also taking on various complex processes such as picking products from shelves, sorting orders, and packaging. According to recently released data, robots are utilized in at least one stage of the operation for approximately three-quarters of Amazon's global deliveries.
Company officials emphasize that the integration of robotic technology directs human personnel toward more specialized tasks. It is noted that this transformation has led to the emergence of new job fields, such as warehouse control specialists and maintenance engineers.
25 PERCENT FASTER
The effects of the hybrid system can be observed remarkably at Amazon's massive warehouse in Louisiana. In this center, which spans approximately 280,000 square meters, robotic arms sort and package millions of products, and the product flow occurs 25 percent faster compared to facilities of similar size.
On the other hand, the increase in productivity that robotization provides to the company is also noteworthy. While Amazon employees processed an average of 175 packages per person in 2013, that figure has reached 3,870 today.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated that office positions without robot and artificial intelligence support will also undergo a transformation in the near future. Jassy said, "Some tasks will be transferred to artificial intelligence over time; however, this change will create new employment areas."