Amazon Embraces AI and Robotics to Enhance Worker Experience
As AI and robotics continue to reshape global industries, concerns about job displacement and workplace changes are mounting.
However, a new study led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests that employees who interact with these technologies hold a more optimistic view.
This research comes at a time when major corporations, including e-commerce giant Amazon, are integrating AI and robotics into their operations at an unprecedented scale.
The study's findings and Amazon's response highlight the evolving relationship between workers and technology in the modern workplace as well as evolution that is needed to improve these relationships.
AI and robotics: employee perspectives
The MIT study was conducted across nine countries and provides insights into how employees perceive AI and automation in the workplace.
Perhaps not surprisingly, it found that 60% of employees who have interacted with robotics and AI expect positive impacts on their safety, career development and productivity.
Tye Brady, Amazon's Chief Technologist for Robotics, emphasises the importance of employee feedback in technology development: "We integrate employee feedback in every stage of our technology development.”
He also says: “We need to understand how robotics and AI impact their daily work and understand their views on how automation will affect their jobs now and in the future.”
Positively contributing to Tye’s vision, the study found that employees with hands-on experience with robotics generally hold more positive views about automation's impact.
This finding additionally suggests that familiarity with new technologies can alleviate concerns about their effects on employment.
However, the report also acknowledges that people have concerns about how new technology could change their jobs, particularly in light of recent advancements in generative AI.
Generative AI (Gen AI) refers to AI systems capable of creating new content, such as text, images, or code, based on existing data.
Amazon's approach to workplace technology
In response to these findings, Amazon has outlined its strategy for integrating AI and robotics into its operations.
The company is well known for its e-commerce platform and cloud computing services, yet interestingly, it has committed to a human-centred approach to technology adoption.
Tye reports that Amazon has pledged over US$1.2bn since 2020 to train more than 300,000 employees, providing them with skills for high-growth jobs.
This initiative, known as the Upskilling Pledge, includes training in robotics, engineering and other technical roles that are increasingly in demand as the company's operations evolve.
The report states that Amazon's investment in training and education also helps employees transition into new, higher-paying roles.
For instance, many of Amazon's fulfilment centres now require more skilled positions, such as maintenance and robotics engineers – jobs that did not exist in these environments a decade ago.
Safety and productivity enhancements
Amazon's focus on workplace safety is another area where robotics plays a significant role. Acknowledging the importance of improving workplace safety, the company allocated US$750m in 2024, with a strong emphasis on ergonomics.
Tye additionally explains that robotics systems, such as the inventory management solution Sequoia and the autonomous mobile robot Proteus, allow employees to focus on tasks requiring higher levels of problem-solving.
Meanwhile, robots handle more routine, physically demanding tasks.
This means that these technologies aim to reduce the need for employees to perform repetitive or physically strenuous tasks, potentially lowering the risk of workplace injuries.
Looking ahead, Amazon plans to launch a fellowship programme with MIT in 2025.
Postdoctoral researchers from MIT will work directly with Amazon's Fulfilment Technology & Robotics teams to also identify best practices for scaling automation across operations.
Tye concludes: "As we introduce a new series of automation technologies in the coming years, this fellowship will provide valuable insights into how we can continue to integrate robotics in ways that enhance workplace safety, create new job opportunities, and improve overall productivity."
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