Explainer-in-brief: Amazon chases the robotic revolution in the retail space
Amazon wants 100 per cent of its packaging to be managed by robots in the next five years. The retail giant is not far from this target, given three quarters of the packages it delivers have been – at least partially – wrapped up by a robot.
Employees have been reassured that “the need for humans will always be there” by Amazon Robotics chief technologist Tye Brady, but it’s clear the company is looking to cut costs by employing more automation.
Amazon is only following trends in the retail space. In the UK, Ocado has been at the forefront of innovation, employing robots and automation in packaging and grocery picking. This has reduced costs and increased efficiency, and the process has been smooth – aside from a warehouse burning down for a robotic glitch.
In the meantime, supermarket giant Walmart is using drones to complete deliveries. The future of retail increasingly looks automated.