Amazon has introduced a new robotic system on Wednesday, designed to perform multiple tasks simultaneously within its warehouses. This system, dubbed “Blue Jay,” consists of a series of robotic arms suspended on tracks similar to conveyor belts, featuring suction cup devices at their ends that can pick and sort items of varying shapes and sizes. In a blog post, Amazon stated that “Blue Jay” integrates “three independent robotic workstations into a single efficient operating unit, capable of performing picking, sorting, and consolidation operations in the same location.” The company noted that the goal of this robotic system is to assist employees in completing labor-intensive tasks “while achieving higher efficiency within a smaller physical footprint.” Currently, Amazon is testing “Blue Jay” in a warehouse in South Carolina. So far, the company has observed that the system is capable of picking, packing, storing, and consolidating “approximately 75% of the stored items in the warehouse.” “Blue Jay” adds to the growing fleet of robotic devices deployed across numerous Amazon warehouses. Over recent years, Amazon has introduced various robots with different functions, ranging from shelf picking to parcel sorting. This past May, the company launched a robot system named “Vulcan” that possesses tactile perception capabilities. The large-scale push for warehouse automation at Amazon is largely attributed to its 2012 acquisition of Kiva Systems for $775 million. The launch of “Blue Jay” comes at a time when Amazon's warehouse automation is under increasing scrutiny, particularly regarding the technology's impact on its vast workforce. A recent survey by The New York Times revealed that Amazon's automation team estimates that by 2027, the technology could allow the company to avoid hiring over 160,000 workers in the U.S., indicating that Amazon could save about 30 cents on every package it ships. This report is based on interviews and internal strategic documents. In response to this report, an Amazon spokesperson remarked that these documents provide “an incomplete and misleading representation of our plans.” The spokesperson stated in an email: “These materials appeared to reflect the views of a single team and do not represent our overall hiring strategy across all business lines, now or in the future.” Amazon has previously stated that advancing warehouse automation could enhance employee safety and reduce workplace injuries, although this claim has come under debate. A report released in 2020 by Reveal, a media outlet under the Center for Investigative Reporting, indicated that Amazon warehouses equipped with robots had higher injury rates compared to those without automation. Last week, Amazon announced plans to hire 250,000 full-time and part-time employees for the upcoming holiday shopping season, maintaining hiring levels similar to the past two years. As the second-largest private employer in the U.S., Amazon's automation strategy might serve as a bellwether for the entire job market and other businesses. As of the end of Q2 this year, Amazon's global workforce exceeded 1.54 million (excluding delivery drivers contracted through third-party companies). Morgan Stanley analysts estimated in a report released on Wednesday that by 2027, Amazon's deployment of automated warehouses, coupled with reduced labor and fulfillment costs, could lead to savings of up to $4 billion for the company. Amazon emphasized on Wednesday that employees remain the “core” of its robotic technology development. The company stated that its objective is to “reduce physically demanding tasks, streamline decision-making processes, and create new career development opportunities” for employees. Amazon has continually sought to highlight that an increase in warehouse automation will enable employees to take on “more valuable” work within the company. The company has launched mechatronics and robotics apprenticeship programs to help employees enhance their skills related to the maintenance and monitoring of robotic equipment.

In addition to the new warehouse robot, Amazon also introduced augmented reality (AR) glasses for delivery drivers on Wednesday, claiming they assist drivers in their daily tasks. These glasses are equipped with AI technology, sensors, and cameras to scan packages. By overlaying information in the driver’s field of vision, the glasses can provide turn-by-turn navigation, hazard alerts, and task reminders. Furthermore, if a dog is detected in a customer's residential area, the device can emit a voice alert to notify the driver. The system also includes a small controller that can be attached to the delivery driver's uniform, featuring a “dedicated emergency button” that drivers can use to contact emergency services while on the road. Amazon stated that it has collaborated with hundreds of drivers to test various versions of these glasses, using feedback from those trials to inform the design of the device. Amazon relies on thousands of contracted delivery companies to deliver packages to consumers’ doorsteps. Over the past few years, the company has integrated increasing amounts of technology into the delivery process, including cameras, smartphone apps for tracking and scoring driving behavior, and AI tools to help drivers identify which package corresponds to each delivery point.