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Amazon is reportedly working on developing humanoid robots to optimize its delivery processes. According to an internal report by The Information, the e-commerce retailer will soon begin testing several humanoid robots in its San Francisco facilities.
While the project is rumored to be in its early developmental stages, Amazon is creating software with AI technology to power the robots, enabling them to deliver customers’ packages. This would be the first time Amazon has made a direct move toward leveraging robotics for parcel delivery.
This integration could ultimately reduce reliance on human labor across its global delivery network.
Delivery logistics and transport plans
A significant factor in Amazon’s reported delivery plan involves transporting the humanoid robots along delivery routes. This would reportedly be achieved using a fleet of electric vehicle delivery vans created by Rivian, an electric vehicle company partially owned by Amazon.
Amazon is reportedly testing various humanoid robots for this purpose, including those created by the Chinese company Unitree Robotics. The Information detailed Amazon’s plans to test the humanoid robots within a facility located in San Francisco, which was constructed specifically for their development.
In April, Amazon’s vice president of Fulfillment Technology and Robotics, Joseph Quinlivan, explained the company’s outlook on the future of robotic use.
“Whether through humanoid robots, quadrupeds, or wheeled solutions, mobile manipulation systems are advancing to a stage where they can be more meaningfully deployed,” Quinlivan said in a press release. “This means robots will soon be nimbler and more dexterous, addressing tasks that have been traditionally difficult to automate. These advancements will open new possibilities in logistics, manufacturing, and other industries, redefining what robotics can achieve.”
Amazon’s adventures in humanoid robotics
This is far from the first time the e-commerce giant has dabbled in robotics to enhance the efficiency of its operations. Amazon uses more than 750,000 robots within its facilities to perform tasks such as lifting, sorting, and moving packages.
Last month, Amazon reported several achievements in its robotics innovations, including the unveiling of seven new robots developed at its innovation center in Dortmund, Germany, to promote faster and safer deliveries. May also brought news of Vulcan, the first robot developed by Amazon with a sense of touch, giving it the ability to manipulate objects more tactfully.
Although the company usually opts for purpose-specific robots within its facilities, it has tested a humanoid robot before, a unit called Digit created by Agility Robotics in 2023, that was intended for logistics uses.
Amazon has yet to confirm a timeline for the launch of the delivery bots, and the company has not released any official reports corroborating the news at this time.
For more news about humanoid robots, read eWeek’s coverage of Hugging Face’s two new bots that are open-source and affordable compared to competitors.