Amazon announced a fully autonomous warehouse robot called Proteus that is voice‑controlled.

Amazon is implementing voice control for robot vacuum cleaners

More than a million autonomous machines are already operating in Amazon warehouses, but only the new Proteus model has gained the ability to respond to commands in natural speech. Company robotics vice president Scott Drescher explained: “You simply tell the robot what to do, and it determines the priority, route, and timing on its own.”

What’s new in Proteus
* Appearance – a large robot vacuum capable of moving big carts over long distances.

* Control – until now special software had to be launched. Now simple voice commands are enough thanks to AI that allows you to “talk” to the robot like a person.

* Availability – Proteus can operate throughout the warehouse, not just in loading and unloading zones.

Testing and plans
* At present the updated version is being tested in Amazon labs.

* In the first half of 2027 the company plans to begin deploying Proteus in Europe.

* Alongside this, Amazon will expand use of the sensor robot Vulcan and introduce a new robot Stark designed for handling small containers.

How it affects staff
* The new system allows employees to focus on more qualified tasks such as inventory flow management and quality control.

* Despite automation, Amazon does not intend to cut jobs. In Europe it plans to add 25,000 positions in warehouses.

* However, in 2024 the company laid off about 30,000 employees from retail, web services, and Prime Video divisions.

Occupational safety
* As of 2024, 39 % of Amazon’s American warehouse workers are company employees.

* Amazon accounts for 56 % of all registered serious injuries among warehouse staff, underscoring the relevance of safety issues.

Thus, implementing voice control in Proteus represents a step toward more efficient and safer warehouse operations, while simultaneously highlighting the need for constant attention to employee working conditions.