Amazon pours cold water on humanoid robot craze at Web Summit

Amazon believes that many humanoid robots only show off technology, do not solve real problems and 100% automation is still a long way off.

Fruit harvesting robots are displayed at the World Robot Conference 2025 to promote the development of the robot industry, Beijing, China - Photo: VNA

The humanoid robots that attracted attention at the Web Summit in Lisbon this week will be far from revolutionizing physical labor in factories or warehouses, a representative of the Amazon e-commerce group said on November 12.

Mr. Tye Brady - Director of Robotics Technology at Amazon - commented that many current robot models "do technology just for show" by focusing on form, instead of solving real problems. He said robots only have value when they meet specific functions and tasks.

While the Chinese company Unitree's breakdancing robots were a highlight at the Web Summit, Mr. Brady emphasized that Amazon has deployed more than 1 million robots in its e-commerce system, including grippers, sorters, and robots that move goods around the warehouse with sensors to avoid collisions with humans.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, by 2024, China will have about 2 million industrial robots in operation, while the world will have more than 4.5 million.

Mr Brady said the world is still in the "early stages of robotics" and "there is no such thing as 100% automation". Amazon's robots - developed in Massachusetts (USA) - are designed to assist humans and eliminate boring, repetitive tasks.

While admitting that some elements of humanoid robots – such as the ability to walk on two legs – can be useful in complex environments, Mr Brady stressed that the real value still lies in the ability to manipulate, sense and handle objects.

Companies are racing to bring humanoid robots to market too quickly, according to Mr. Brady. One example is the American startup 1X, which recently opened pre-orders for a $20,000 domestic robot, but it uses “expert control” mode operated by a remote human for difficult tasks.

Amazon is currently testing Vulcan robots, which have force sensors to avoid damaging goods and can handle about 75% of its product catalog. However, this is still a large, fixed system, not a flexible humanoid robot.

Mr Brady concludes that the future is bright if developers focus on function – combining mobility and manipulation – rather than chasing after form.

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VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/amazon-doi-gao-nuoc-lanh-vao-con-sot-robot-hinh-nguoi-tai-web-summit-20251114235946071.htm