Amazon Unveils Multi-Tasking Warehouse Robot ’Blue Jay’ Amid Automation Concerns
Amazon has deployed a new robotic system called Blue Jay in its South Carolina warehouse, designed to consolidate three separate tasks—picking, sorting, and grouping items—into a single automated process. The system's suction-cup-equipped arms can handle 75% of the facility's inventory, reducing physical strain on workers and optimizing space utilization.
While Amazon frames the innovation as a productivity booster, critics warn of potential job displacement. A New York Times analysis suggests the company could forego hiring 160,000 U.S. workers by 2027, saving $0.30 per packaged item. Amazon disputes this projection as an incomplete snapshot of its labor strategy.
Beyond warehousing, the tech giant is equipping delivery drivers with AI-powered smart glasses capable of package scanning and navigation assistance—a MOVE signaling broader automation ambitions across its logistics network.
