Amazon is proactively pursuing its future ambitions in automation and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to reshape its workforce. The company aims to double its product sales by 2033 without increasing its U.S. workforce, a strategy that could result in more than 600,000 jobs remaining unfilled, as outlined in internal documents reviewed by The New York Times.
Tye Brady, Amazon’s chief technologist, stated in an interview with FOX Business that current employees will not be replaced by robots; rather, new technology is intended to enhance their productivity and safety. “So of the speculative hiring, it’s still speculation, right? But I do know this – I do know that we will continue to amplify what our employees can do by giving them the best tool set possible,” he explained, emphasizing the integration of physical AI systems.
Documents revealed that Amazon’s robotics team has a long-term vision of automating 75% of its operational processes. In response to the leaked information, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel clarified that such documents may not accurately represent the company’s overall hiring strategy. She reassured that Amazon has created more jobs in America over the past decade than any other company and is currently hiring for 250,000 positions in preparation for the holiday season.
According to research from Capital One Shopping, Amazon’s logistics division managed approximately 6.3 billion delivery orders in the U.S. last year, averaging about 17.2 million orders per day, or over 717,000 per hour.
Additionally, Amazon is set to host its “Delivering the Future” event in Milpitas, California, where the company will showcase new robotics and AI technologies aimed at enhancing its delivery processes. This initiative comes shortly after a major outage of Amazon Web Services that affected various services and disrupted package deliveries, a situation that Brady acknowledged by highlighting the company’s recovery systems.
Amazon’s ongoing advancements in technology and commitment to maintaining a robust workforce provide a hopeful perspective on the company’s future, indicating that while automation plays a role, the importance of human employees remains a core focus of the company’s strategy.