Amazon's plans to replace 600,000 human workers with robots

Amazon’s automation strategy aims to robotize 75% of its operations, displacing over 600,000 workers. Internal documents show executives plan to avoid hiring 160,000 U.S. employees by 2027, saving 30 cents per item processed. The robotics team expects no workforce growth despite doubled sales by 2033.

In Shreveport, Louisiana, Amazon’s advanced warehouse uses 1,000 robots, cutting human staff by 25% last year. By 2027, it projects halving its workforce there. The company plans to replicate this in 40 facilities, including a new Virginia Beach warehouse.

The Stone Mountain facility near Atlanta, with 4,000 workers, will process 10% more items with 1,200 fewer employees post-retrofit. Amazon expects to rely more on temporary workers. “With this major milestone now in sight, we are confident in our ability to flatten Amazon’s hiring curve over the next 10 years,” the robotics team wrote.

Amazon’s automation, costing under $10 billion, is projected to save $12.6 billion from 2025 to 2027. Andy Jassy’s efficiency focus drives this shift, raising concerns about widespread job displacement. The company uses terms like “cobot” instead of “robot” to soften perceptions.

Daron Acemoglu, an economist, stated, “One of the biggest employers in the United States will become a net job destroyer, not a net job creator.” A job seeker near Stone Mountain reported no job listings for months, unaware of Amazon’s workforce reduction plans through attrition.