Walmart’s multibillion-dollar struggle to replace humans with robots (opens the source in a new tab)
- Walmart has spent a decade and billions automating warehouses that rely on more than 140,000 workers, but boxes, breakdowns and odd shapes such as frozen turkeys keep tripping the machines.
- By August it was close to its 2023 goals: over 65% of stores got some automated freight and over 50% of online-order inventory moved through automated systems.
- Peak power bills at automated grocery warehouses can top $800,000 a month, from about $250,000, and rival Kroger took a $2.6bn charge to close three automated centres.
- 140,000+
- warehouse workers
- 65%+
- stores get automated freight
- $800k+
- peak monthly power bill
Why it matters Automation decides how fast your order arrives and what happens to warehouse jobs, and even the biggest US retailer is finding it hard.
Other side Walmart says high turnover means no layoffs and growth may need as many workers as today, yet it also expects to need fewer warehouse staff eventually.
Also read: Free-to-read copy in Mint