Post by : Bianca
Haleem
Amazon is gearing up for a significant shift in its workforce, as internal documents indicate plans to automate over 500,000 warehouse jobs in the U.S. by 2035. This change could fundamentally alter the operations of its fulfillment centers.
With a workforce that has grown to nearly 1.2 million, Amazon stands as one of the largest private employers in the country. However, as demand for efficiency escalates, the firm views automation as essential for enhancing delivery speed and reducing costs. Introducing cutting-edge robotic systems is predicted to yield approximately 30 cents savings on each item processed.
Beyond just cost reductions, executives believe that automation could enable the company to manage double the product volume by 2033 without a corresponding increase in staff. To validate this model, Amazon has constructed next-generation warehouses that prioritize robotics, particularly for same-day or next-day delivery.
At its facility in Shreveport, Louisiana, around 1,000 robots are currently engaged in sorting, packing, and lifting tasks, facilitating operations with 25% fewer workers. Encouraged by such developments, Amazon plans to implement similar robotic systems at 40 other facilities by 2027, including locations in Virginia Beach and Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Notably, Amazon prefers the term “cobots,” which stands for collaborative robots, while consciously avoiding terms like “AI” or “automation” in public discussions, instead using “advanced technology” to mitigate concerns in communities reliant on warehouse jobs.
While apprehension about job losses exists, Amazon maintains that it is generating new, higher-paying positions. For example, in Shreveport, more than 160 workers have transitioned into robotics technician roles, with salaries of $24.45 per hour—significantly above the average warehouse wage of $19.50. The firm has also introduced apprenticeship programs in mechatronics, providing pathways to these skilled jobs.
Nonetheless, this shift raises concerns about the future of blue-collar employment. Amazon warehouses have historically offered stable jobs, especially for Black and working-class communities. Although the company claims no plans for mass layoffs, automation combined with natural attrition may gradually reduce the workforce.
Amazon’s approach signifies a pivotal moment in American industry, indicating that the age of robotic warehouses has officially begun. While the company categorizes this as progress, for countless workers, it marks the initiation of an indeterminate and challenging new chapter.
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