The report finds that Amazon workers in robotic warehouses feel more isolated at work, which makes it difficult to unionize.

Amazon’s use of AI and robotics in its warehouses isolates workers and negatively impacts union organizing drives, a new report finds.

The report, conducted by Oxford University research team Fairwork and the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, aimed to explain how AI impacts warehouse workers by interviewing employees at robotic Amazon warehouses in the U.K.

  • ShaggySnacks@lemmy.myserv.oneEnglish
    27·
    5 months ago

    “In manual fulfillment centres, Jane would walk around the warehouse. That would be tiring—she could easily do 15 or 16 km per day, often more—but at least she would see people,” the report states. “In a robotic fulfillment centre, associates in pick work at fixed stations, with just the robots for company.”

    I remember someone on Lemmy linking to a story about how AI effectively isolated workers from their colleagues in order to be “efficient”. Now, I see it as a way to break solidarity between workers.

    • pavnilschanda@lemmy.world
      3·
      5 months ago

      That’s already being done to the general populace, especially now with sophisticated algorithms tailoring social media posts to individual needs. It’s gonna get worse with LLM-powered chatbots

  • brbposting@sh.itjust.works
    8·
    5 months ago

    “It tells you exactly what to do. Like, It told me to get four new bags from the rack. When I did that it told me to go to trash can #1. Once I got there it told me to open the cabinet and pull out the trash can. Once I did that it told me to check the floor for any debris. Then it told me to tie up the bag and put it to the side, on the left. Then it told me to put a new bag in the can. Then it told me to attach the bag to the rim. Then it told me to put the can back in and close the cabinet. Then it told me to wipe down the cabinet and make sure it’s spotless. Then it told me to push the help button on the can to make sure it is working. Then it told me to move to trash can #2. Like that.”

    • B0rax@feddit.de
      1·
      5 months ago

      They try to make the job as easy as possible, so no training is required and literally anybody could do the work. That way they don’t need any skilled labor at all. Basically just any warm body.

  • geography082@lemm.ee
    3·
    5 months ago

    People should seriously stop buying shit from corporations. There are so many small business that will love to have you as customer. Amazon became a headless mechanic monater with no control at all .