Introduction:

In 2012, Amazon quietly acquired a robotics startup called Kiva Systems, which dramatically improved the efficiency of its e-commerce operations and kickstarted a wider revolution in warehouse automation. Last week, the e-commerce giant announced another deal that could prove similarly profound, agreeing to hire the founders of Covariant, a startup that has been testing ways for AI to automate more of the picking and handling of a wide range of physical objects.

The Deal:

Covariant may have found it challenging to commercialize AI-infused industrial robots given the high costs and sharp competition involved. The deal, which will also see Amazon license Covariant’s models and data, could bring about another revolution in e-commerce—one that might prove hard for any competitor to match given Amazon’s vast operational scale and data trove.

The Challenge of Warehouse Automation:

Back in the aughts, Kiva developed a way to move products through warehouses by having squat robots lift and carry stocked shelves over to human pickers—a trick that meant workers no longer needed to walk miles every day to find different items. However, the one chore that remains stubbornly difficult to mechanize is the physical grasping of products. It requires adaptability to account for things like friction and slippage, and robots will inevitably be confronted with unfamiliar and awkward items among Amazon’s vast inventory.

Covariant’s Solution:

Covariant has spent the past few years developing AI algorithms with a more general ability to handle a range of items more reliably. The company was founded in 2020 by Pieter Abbeel, a professor at UC Berkeley who has done pioneering work on applying machine learning to robotics, along with several of his students.

The Future of Warehouse Automation:

“Covariant’s models will be used to power some of the robotic manipulation systems across our fulfillment network,” Alexandra Miller, an Amazon spokesperson, told WIRED. The tech giant declined to reveal financial details of the deal. With Covariant’s talent and tech on board, Amazon is poised to take its warehouse automation to the next level.

Conclusion:

The acquisition of Covariant’s talent and tech is a significant move for Amazon, one that could revolutionize the e-commerce industry once again. As the company continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with AI and robotics, it will be exciting to see how this deal plays out in the years to come.