Amazon has unveiled an upgraded version of its Proteus warehouse robot, capable of understanding conversational language from workers, as the company accelerates its investment in artificial intelligence and automation.
The robot, introduced at Amazon’s Delivering the Future event in London, can transport inventory and respond to plain-language instructions without requiring technical commands.
According to the company, the new Proteus will be rolled out across Europe beginning in 2027. Amazon also announced plans to invest €10 billion in modernizing its European fulfillment network.
The launch comes as Amazon continues to reduce its corporate workforce. The report said the company cut 14,000 jobs in October and another 16,000 positions in January as it expanded AI-driven efficiencies.
CEO Andy Jassy has previously stated that AI is likely to reduce parts of the company’s corporate workforce over time.
Amazon executives argued that robotics investments create new opportunities in engineering, maintenance and technical operations. However, critics cited by the report warned that increasingly capable AI systems and robots could eventually replace a larger share of human labor, particularly in entry-level roles.
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— CNBC (@CNBC) June 5, 2026
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