Amazon debuts AI glasses for drivers, warehouse robots
5 min read
Amazon unveiled on Wednesday an ambitious suite of AI-powered technologies designed to revolutionize both delivery operations and warehouse automation, including smart glasses for drivers and advanced robotic systems that could reshape the company's massive workforce.
Summaries 3 Keypoints:
- Amazon unveiled “Amelia” AI smart glasses for delivery drivers that provide heads-up directions, hands-free package scanning, and proof-of-delivery photos via a vest controller with swappable batteries and an emergency button; hundreds of drivers are already trialing them across multiple locations, with Amazon positioning the glasses to cut task time and improve safety in last‑mile routes.
- In warehouses, Amazon introduced Blue Jay, a multi‑arm robotic workstation that collapses picking, stowing, and consolidation into one station and can handle about 75% of stored items, alongside Project Eluna, an agentic AI assistant that surfaces real‑time recommendations to prevent bottlenecks and reduce managers’ dashboard overload during operations.
- Internal documents reported by major outlets indicate Amazon aims to automate up to 75% of operations and avoid hiring 160,000 U.S. workers by 2027 and potentially over 600,000 by 2033, while Amazon disputes the framing and emphasizes seasonal hiring and augmentation of human roles with robotics; the firm already operates around 1 million robots globally.
AI-Powered Smart Glasses Transform Last-Mile Delivery
The e-commerce giant introduced "Amelia," prototype smart glasses equipped with AI-powered computer vision that enable delivery drivers to work entirely hands-free. The glasses feature built-in cameras and a heads-up display that automatically activates when drivers park their vehicles, providing turn-by-turn navigation, package scanning capabilities, and proof-of-delivery photo capture without requiring phones.[1][2][3]
"We are currently trialing this technology in multiple locations with more than a dozen delivery service partners and hundreds of drivers nationwide," said Beryl Tomay, Amazon's Vice President of Transportation, at a Silicon Valley launch event. The glasses pair with a controller worn in the delivery vest that houses swappable batteries and includes a dedicated emergency button for driver safety.[2][4][1]
Amazon expects the glasses to save drivers up to 30 minutes during an 8-to-10-hour shift by eliminating repetitive tasks and helping locate packages more efficiently. Future versions will include real-time defect detection to alert drivers about incorrect deliveries, pet detection for yard safety, and adaptive capabilities for low-light conditions.[3][5][1]
Warehouse Automation Accelerates with Blue Jay and AI Systems
Simultaneously, Amazon introduced Blue Jay, a next-generation robotic system that coordinates multiple arms to perform picking, sorting, and consolidating tasks in a single workstation. The system, already being tested at a South Carolina facility, can handle approximately 75% of items Amazon stores and consolidates what previously required three separate robotic stations.[1][2]
The company also unveiled Project Eluna, an agentic AI model designed to assist warehouse operations managers by processing real-time data and providing actionable recommendations in natural language. The system is being piloted at a Tennessee fulfillment center for the holiday season to optimize sortation and prevent operational bottlenecks.[2][3]
Ambitious Automation Plans Raise Employment Questions
These announcements come as internal Amazon documents revealed by The New York Times show the company expects to avoid hiring more than 160,000 people in the United States by 2027 through automation, potentially reaching 600,000 avoided hires by 2033. Amazon currently operates over 1 million robots across more than 300 fulfillment centers globally, with robots now assisting in 75% of deliveries.[1][2][3][4]
The company's Shreveport, Louisiana facility serves as a template for future automation, employing 1,000 robots and requiring 25% fewer workers than would be needed without automation. Amazon plans to replicate this model in approximately 40 facilities by the end of 2027.[2][1]
Connor Spence, president of the Amazon Labor Union, expressed concern about the pace of change: "The question becomes how it's implemented and who's benefitting from it". Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel countered that the leaked documents "paint an incomplete and misleading picture" and noted the company is hiring 250,000 workers for the holiday season.[5][6][1]
Amazon maintains that its automation focuses on augmenting rather than replacing human workers, creating opportunities for higher-skilled technical roles while reducing physically demanding tasks. The company continues to invest in training programs, including mechatronics apprenticeships and AI education offerings, to prepare employees for evolving workplace demands.[7][8]
Reference sources:
[1](https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/amazon-plans-to-replace-more-than-half-a-million-jobs-with-robots-10321809)[2](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/technology/inside-amazons-plans-to-replace-workers-with-robots.html)[3](https://roboticsandautomationnews.com/2025/07/02/amazons-relentless-march-towards-total-global-roboticization/92818/)[4](https://coincentral.com/amazon-warehouse-robots-milestone-2025/)[5](https://newjersey.news12.com/reports-amazon-may-eliminate-over-half-a-million-future-jobs-with-robots)[6](https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/amazon-new-warning-replacing-jobs-21112652.php)[7](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/new-robots-amazon-fulfillment-agentic-ai)[8](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/amazon-delivering-future-2025-online-shopping-speed-delivery)[1](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/22/amazon-debuts-blue-jay-robot-that-performs-multiple-tasks-at-once.html)[2](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/new-robots-amazon-fulfillment-agentic-ai)[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/amazon-delivering-future-2025-online-shopping-speed-delivery)[1](https://www.theverge.com/news/804962/amazon-reveals-smart-delivery-glasses-that-guide-drivers-and-scan-packages)[2](https://techcrunch.com/2025/10/22/amazon-unveils-ai-smart-glasses-for-its-delivery-drivers/)[3](https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/amazons-delivery-drivers-will-soon-wear-ai-smart-glasses-to-work/)[4](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0rpzrrgqvlo)[5](https://www.engadget.com/wearables/amazons-smart-glasses-with-ai-will-help-its-drivers-deliver-packages-faster-041009681.html)