Amazon to replace 600,000 US workers by 2033 with robots

Amazon plans to use automation to replace more than 600,000 workers who would otherwise be hired in the United States by 2033, according to internal documents obtained by The New York Times. By that time, the company is expected to sell about twice as many goods as it does today.

Amazon’s robotics team is reportedly working toward the goal of automating 75% of its entire business. By 2027, it is expected to eliminate around 160,000 jobs in the US, saving the company an estimated $12.6 billion — equivalent to around 30 cents per item delivered.

To avoid negative publicity, Amazon is reportedly actively avoiding words such as “automation” and “AI” and instead talking about “advanced technology” and “cobots” — robots that work alongside humans. In a statement to Times, Amazon says the leaked documents do not reflect the company’s entire strategy and that no one has been instructed to avoid specific terms.