Inside Amazon, warehouse workers tell what they really think about robot coworkers

A warehouse in transition

The Tracy facility shows how automation is entering warehouse and logistics work. These sectors have been major sources of job growth since Amazon helped drive the e-commerce boom 30 years ago.

The warehouse covers 1.4 million square feet, an area described as equivalent to 23 football fields. Robots named Hercules, Robin, Cardinal, Pegasus, and Proteus move inventory and sort packages there.

Robots change daily work

Khan said the robots have reduced that walking time. He also said the machines remain partly dependent on people for maintenance, help, and oversight.

People still move orders

Human employees continue to pick and pack orders, load trucks, and step in when automated systems stop working. Workers place individual items in fabric inventory pods, which Hercules robots carry to pick stations.

At the stations, employees retrieve the items before packing and labeling them. Humans and robots work together to move orders from storage toward the loading dock.

New roles and open questions

One employee who joined Amazon about two years ago after years of caring for her family now works as a process assistant overseeing robotic systems. When a chute jams or a robot stops, she coordinates the response.

Her role is informally called the “quarterback” position: she monitors robot fleets and sends employees to intervene when needed. Amazon says employees are being retrained for more valuable work, while a spokesperson said customer demand drove workforce growth and robots help staff process packages safely and efficiently.