Amazon may ramp up robot ops, may replace 600,000 human workers: Reports

US tech giant Amazon has been using robots in its warehouses for over a decade, and the company shows no signs of slowing down. The company, however, is now looking to ramp up its robot operations, which could come at the expense of human jobs, The New York Times reported.

Internal Amazon documents accessed by The New York Times stated that the company is exploring ways to build and use more robots to replace human workers. While it is not clear whether this would lead to massive layoffs, robots could allow Amazon to avoid hiring new employees to meet rising demand, potentially replacing 600,000 jobs by 2033.

The documents also show that Amazon wants to ease the impact on communities that might lose jobs. The tech giant has explored ways to improve its image as a “good corporate citizen” by taking part in community events like parades and Toys for Tots. They also suggest avoiding terms like automation and AI, using phrases such as “advanced technology,” and calling robots “cobots” to emphasize collaboration.

Meanwhile, an Amazon spokesperson told CNET that leaked documents "often paint an incomplete and misleading picture" of the company's plans.

"Leaked documents often paint an incomplete and misleading picture of our plans, and that's the case here. In this instance, the materials appear to reflect the perspective of just one team and don't represent our overall hiring strategy across our various operations business lines -- now or moving forward," he said.

The spokesperson added, "No company has created more jobs in America over the past decade than Amazon, while adding the company is actively hiring at its operations facilities and plans to fill 250,000 positions for the holiday season.

Amazon is the third-largest employer in the U.S., after the federal government and Walmart, with roughly 1.5 million employees, most of whom work in warehouses or as delivery drivers. Only a few companies in the U.S. have more than 600,000 employees. Delivery company FedEx, for example, has about 550,000 employees. A reduction of the workforce would be similar to FedEx disappearing entirely.