Amazon just hit a big milestone. The company now has 1 million robots working inside its warehouses — and that number is still growing.
A Major Milestone for Amazon Robotics
After more than a decade of bringing robots into its warehouse operations, Amazon has officially crossed the 1 million mark. The one-millionth robot was recently delivered to one of its fulfillment centers in Japan.
This puts Amazon closer to something even bigger — having as many robots as human workers across its global warehouse network.
Robots Are Behind 75% of Amazon’s Deliveries
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, about three-quarters of all Amazon deliveries now involve help from a robot. Whether it’s moving shelves, picking packages, or organizing products, robots are playing a huge role in getting orders to customers faster.
Amazon Introduces DeepFleet – Its New AI Brain for Robots
To go along with the rise in robots, Amazon also launched a new generative AI model called DeepFleet.
So, what does DeepFleet do?
- It helps warehouse robots move smarter and faster
- It’s trained on Amazon’s own inventory and warehouse data
- It was built using Amazon SageMaker, the company’s own cloud-based AI platform
- It can increase robot fleet speed by around 10%, according to Amazon
In short, it’s like giving the robots better brains — so they can work more efficiently inside the busy warehouses.
Meet Vulcan: Amazon’s Most Advanced Robot Yet
Back in May, Amazon introduced its latest robot model, Vulcan.
What makes Vulcan special?
- It has two arms, each doing different tasks
- One arm moves inventory around
- The other has a camera and suction cup to grab items
- It even has a sense of touch, allowing it to feel items before picking them up
This makes Vulcan much more capable of handling tricky or delicate jobs — things regular robots couldn’t manage before.
A New Generation of Robotic Warehouses
In October 2024, Amazon shared its plans to build next-generation fulfillment centers filled with even more robots — up to 10 times more than in current facilities.
The first of these high-tech centers has already opened in Shreveport, Louisiana, near the Texas border. These new warehouses still have human workers, but the robots now take care of a lot more of the heavy lifting and movement.
A Quick Look Back
Amazon’s robot journey started in 2012, when it bought a company called Kiva Systems. Since then, it has slowly built up its robotics program — one machine at a time — into a fleet of a million.
Key Takeaways
- Amazon now has over 1 million robots in its warehouses
- 75% of its global deliveries are supported by robots
- It launched a new AI tool called DeepFleet to speed up robot efficiency
- The new Vulcan robot has touch-sensitive arms for handling items
- Amazon is building robot-focused fulfillment centers, starting in Louisiana
- The company’s robotics program started back in 2012 with the Kiva Systems deal
Final Thoughts
Amazon’s massive push into robotics and AI isn’t slowing down anytime soon. With more advanced machines, smarter AI tools, and next-gen warehouses, the company is setting a new standard for automation.
And as robots like Vulcan and AI models like DeepFleet continue to evolve, Amazon’s warehouses of the future are already here — and working hard behind the scenes.