Amazon wants to replace 600k workers with robots

Internal documents of Amazon reveal plans to use robots and automation to replace 600,000 US jobs by 2033, while doubling delivery capacity, according to The New York Times.

The company aims to automate 75% of its operations, potentially cutting 160,000 roles by 2027 and saving about $12.6 billion. Automation could also reduce product costs by 30 cents per item.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu warned Amazon’s move could be “a net job destroyer,” as rival retailers and tech companies may follow suit.

Amazon, the second-largest employer in America, already operates over a million robots deployed in its facilities, per The Verge.

The NYT reports that, to mitigate potential backlash from layoffs and low hiring, Amazon has considered rebranding its automation efforts using terms like “cobots” instead of robots, while also increasing community projects.

However, Amazon denied that these documents represent official policy, saying it is still hiring 250,000 workers for the holiday season and continues expanding operations in the US.