As Amazon’s Chief Technologist for Robotics, my primary focus is ensuring that our innovations in robotics and AI directly benefit our employees. We are committed to developing technology that enhances workplace safety and fosters increased productivity. Our goal is to retain and develop our talent by reimagining how we work, with a focus on safety and productivity. If we succeed in this, we are confident we’ll consistently create new value for our customers.
Did you know that robots contribute to making it safer and easier for our employees to handle your Amazon orders? We leverage a variety of robotic systems in our fulfillment centers. Recent research led by MIT provides valuable data, helping us to improve even further. One key trend from this data is that 60% of employees globally who have experience with robotics and AI anticipate positive impacts on their safety, career development, and overall productivity.
I firmly believe in the importance of people in innovation. Their perspectives are critical to the success of the technology we create. That’s why we consistently seek feedback from our employees to understand how robotics and AI affect their daily work and how automation will influence their jobs now and in the future.
We integrate employee feedback throughout every stage of our technology development, which is fundamental to our design process. We value additional insights and external points of view. Our ongoing collaboration with MIT is invaluable, and we are excited by their research on Automation from the Worker’s Perspective. Their independent study, conducted across nine countries, offers a comprehensive view of how employees feel about AI and automation in the workplace and how they see these technologies affecting their roles. This global perspective helps us take a long-term view to building the capabilities of employees here in the U.S., but around the world as well.
Key Findings
With the recent advancements in generative AI, it’s not surprising that people have concerns about the impact of new technology on their jobs. These concerns highlight a need to better inform people about the career opportunities that AI and robotics offer in an increasingly tech-driven economy. Such concerns are natural and have been part of every transformative innovation. We aim to create better tools and to place people at the core of the robotics universe.
One of the most significant findings from the study is that employees with hands-on experience with robotics generally view automation more positively. This underscores that concerns often stem from the unknown. As employees become familiar with these new tools, they recognize their benefits.
Upskilling and Career Development
We believe in empowering our workforce to grow alongside technological advancements. This belief is embodied in our Upskilling Pledge. Since 2020, we have committed over $1.2 billion to train more than 300,000 employees, equipping them with skills for high-growth jobs. This includes training in robotics, engineering, and other technical fields that are increasingly in demand.
By upskilling our employees, we are ensuring that the introduction of automation creates even more opportunities. Our investment in training helps employees move into new, higher-paying roles at Amazon. For example, many of our fulfillment centers now require more skilled positions, such as maintenance and robotics engineers – jobs that didn’t exist in these environments a decade ago.
AI has the potential to further support and enhance our workforce, which is why we are committed to making AI accessible to all by training employees on these new technologies. Through the AI Ready program, we are planning to provide free AI skills training to two million people globally by 2025.
Safety and Robotics in Action
Safety is a critical area where robotics is making a significant difference. In 2024, we allocated $750 million toward improving workplace safety, with a strong emphasis on ergonomics. Robotics plays a key supporting role in this initiative by introducing systems that reduce the need for employees to perform repetitive or physically strenuous tasks.
Our ergonomic workstations embedded in Sequoia, our new inventory management solution, and Proteus, our first autonomous mobile robot, allow employees to focus their time on problem-solving, while the robots handle more routine, physically demanding tasks.
Expanding the MIT-Amazon Collaboration
Looking ahead, I am particularly excited about the next phase of our partnership with MIT. In 2025, we will launch a fellowship program where postdoctoral researchers from MIT will work directly with our Fulfillment Technology & Robotics teams. This collaboration aims to identify best practices for scaling automation across our operations, ensuring that as we deploy new systems, we continue to improve the employee experience.
The timing couldn’t be better. 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.
The future of work at Amazon is one where people and technology collaborate to build a safer, more productive workplace. Informed by the insights from the MIT research and with our ongoing investment in upskilling, I am confident that we are on the right path to creating jobs that are not only better but also more fulfilling. Let’s build this future together.
