Amazon is reportedly training humanoid robots to deliver packages

Early bipedal robots from Amazon spouse Agility Robotics (pictured) were pitched for bundle transportation tasks.

Future Amazon orders whitethorn beryllium delivered to your doorway by a humanoid robot workforce. The Information reports that Amazon is processing AI bundle that volition alteration robots to run arsenic bundle transportation workers that are ferried astir successful Rivian electrical vans, and volition soon beryllium acceptable to commencement real-world investigating astatine a caller facility.

Citing an anonymous root “involved successful the effort,” The Information says that Amazon has astir finished constructing an indoor “humanoid park” astatine 1 of the retail giant’s San Francisco offices that’s astir the size of a java shop. The obstacle people reportedly contains 1 Rivian van for grooming purposes, with Amazon aiming to person humanoid robots “hitch a thrust successful the backmost of Amazon’s electrical Rivian vans and outpouring retired to present packages.”

The study coincides with Amazon launching a caller agentic AI squad to assistance make technologies that volition powerfulness robots “operating successful Amazon organisation and logistics hubs.” In a connection to Silicon Valley, Amazon says that “instead of rigid, specialized robots, we’re creating systems that tin hear, understand, and enactment connected earthy connection commands, turning warehouse robots into flexible, multi-talented assistants.”

Amazon is already utilizing a assortment of autonomous robots successful its warehouse operations, including a proceedings of Agility Robotics’ humanoid “Digit” — a robot that was primitively pitched for tasks similar sitting successful the back of vans and delivering packages, alongside different logistics uses. Amazon’s grooming installation is simply a concerted effort to marque this archetypal imaginativeness a reality. The Information reports that a “variety” of humanoid robots volition beryllium tested for bundle transportation astatine its facility, including a $16,000 portion from China-based Unitree.

Hundreds of thousands of radical presently grip transportation operations astatine Amazon globally. Amazon acquired the robotaxi institution Zoox successful 2020, suggesting a tendency to afloat automate end-to-end bundle delivery, from the warehouse to your beforehand door.