Amazon is reportedly training humanoid robots to deliver packages

[milestogo]

Future Amazon orders may be delivered to your door by a humanoid robot workforce. The Information reports that Amazon is developing AI software that will enable robots to operate as package delivery workers that are ferried around in Rivian electric vans, and will soon be ready to start real-world testing at a new facility.

Citing an anonymous source “involved in the effort,” The Information says that Amazon has almost finished constructing an indoor “humanoid park” at one of the retail giant’s San Francisco offices that’s roughly the size of a coffee shop. The obstacle course reportedly contains one Rivian van for training purposes, with Amazon aiming to have humanoid robots “hitch a ride in the back of Amazon’s electric Rivian vans and spring out to deliver packages.”

The report coincides with Amazon launching a new agentic AI team to help develop technologies that will power robots “operating in Amazon distribution and logistics hubs.” In a statement to Silicon Valley, Amazon says that “instead of rigid, specialized robots, we’re creating systems that can hear, understand, and act on natural language commands, turning warehouse robots into flexible, multi-talented assistants.”

Amazon is already using a variety of autonomous robots in its warehouse operations, including a trial of Agility Robotics’ humanoid “Digit” — a robot that was originally pitched for tasks like sitting in the back of vans and delivering packages, alongside other logistics uses. Amazon’s training facility is a concerted effort to make this original vision a reality. The Information reports that a “variety” of humanoid robots will be tested for package delivery at its facility, including a $16,000 unit from China-based Unitree. Hundreds of thousands of people currently handle delivery operations at Amazon globally. Amazon acquired the robotaxi company Zoox in 2020, suggesting a desire to fully automate end-to-end package delivery, from the warehouse to your front door.

https://www.theverge.com/news/680258/amazon-training-package-delivery-humanoid-robots

What could go wrong?

[Midnight Writer]

1. Who do they think will buy their stuff after all the jobs are gone?

[Igel]

2. Won't work in some areas--and perhaps those areas would spread or hopscotch.

They're parts. They're recyclables.

They're nifty but weird apt. and teen-bedroom decorations. Objects for groups of unpleasant young men (and others) to ritually abuse.

Or just targets waiting for a sniper, snare, some masked "meat puppet" to tackle and take out of commission. Oh, noes, then the truck's undefended! Whoever shall take and safeguard the goods on said truck?

I'm honestly surprised that the little food-delivery bots aren't routinely trashed. (Oooh ... Cameras. But, you know, I have wasp spray that'll nail a wasp nest at 20 ft. I assume they use wifi to connect--basically cell phones. There exist wifi jammers.

[Initech]

3. Is this when Skynet gets deployed?

What could possibly go wrong?

[Redleg]

4. Of course- they want to extract every bit of profit they can,

consequences be damned.

[anciano]

5. IMO, AI is an amazing innovation

that will continue to improve in its practical applications as it evolves and will play an increasingly important role in our lives as we continue the transition into a futuristic cybernetic era. It will eventually become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives just like the internet has.

[WestMichRad]

6. I'm sure you're right, but

… it seems like a dystopian future to me. Glad to say I won’t live long enough to see it through.

[W_HAMILTON]

7. Reminds me of this post I saw on Reddit the other day:

"Encountered this delivery bot in my neighborhood, just contemplating the end of the sidewalk."

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8. Its easy to imagine people deliberately messing with them.

[W_HAMILTON]

10. Funny you should say that -- I just posted another story about Hitchbot further below.

Granted, he wasn't a real robot, but he met the same fate as I'm sure many delivery robots will, especially during this time when it seems like almost everyone is fed up with big corporations raising prices, boosting profits, and laying off workers...

[milestogo]

11. I think they had them on the UW Madison campus for a while.

One of the issues was that they would get stuck in snowbanks in the winter and required human assistance.

[W_HAMILTON]

9. Also reminds me of the story of Hitchbot:

Hitchhiking robot that relied on human kindness found decapitated

A hitchhiking robot that relied on the kindness of strangers to travel the world has been found with its head and arms ripped off, just two weeks into its first American tour.

The child-sized robot, known as hitchBOT, was found damaged beyond repair on the streets of Philadelphia early on Saturday. It had earlier hitched across the entire of Canada for 26 days and completed a hitchhiking adventure through Germany.

Taken from: https://www.wired.com/story/hitchbot-usa-vandalised-philadelphia/

[Jack Valentino]

12. Of COURSE they are!!!! Robots don't need "piss breaks", you don't have to pay them, and

they won't try to form a union....

well, at least not before we get into the Terminator scenario, but until then...?