Amazon's Proteus Robots Now Understand Plain Language Commands

Amazon has put more than a million robots into its warehouses but none so far have been able to "talk" with human employees. However, a new version of its Proteus robot can now be directed by workers using plain language thanks to an AI upgrade, Amazon announced. "You tell it what needs to be done. It figures out the priority, the route, the timing," said Amazon Robotics VP Scott Dresser.

Proteus looks like a heavy-duty Roomba and is designed to move heavy carts and cover long distances within fulfillment centers. Before, commanding such robots required the use of custom software. Now, employees can assign tasks to the latest AI-powered models using plain language, much as they would with another employee.

The extra intelligence also allows the system to work all around warehouses rather than just in the dock areas as before. That means they can be used to transport containers arriving on site, transfer them between workstations and assist employees.

Amazon is piloting the new system in its labs, but plans to start using them in Europe in the first half of 2027. It also plans to expand the use of its Vulcan touch-sensitive robot and introduce another one for handling "totes" (smaller containers) with precision, called Stark.

Amazon says that the new Proteus robots will help employees "focus on higher-skilled work like managing inventory flow and ensuring quality control." It added that such systems improve safety and reduce repetitive work. At the same time, Amazon said it hasn't replaced human jobs and announced plans to expand its European warehouse workforce by 25,000 in the coming years. "Since introducing robotics into its operations, Amazon has hired hundreds of thousands of employees globally," the company wrote.