Does Amazon Shreveport Have More Robots Than Humans?

Automation reaches new heights at the 2.5-million-square-foot Shreveport facility

Amazon’s Shreveport distribution center is helping the company inch closer to a historic milestone, matching the number of robots to human workers. And at this local site, that future might already be here.

Robots on the Rise at Amazon Shreveport

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, across Amazon’s global operations, more than one million robots now work inside its facilities. That includes the Shreveport fulfillment center, where over 70 robotic arms assist in tasks ranging from sorting and stacking to consolidating and packaging millions of items. Add to that the autonomous mobile robots that zip carts across the floors and systems that prep orders for shipping, and it’s easy to see how this site might have more machines than people.

Amazon has invested heavily in robotics since acquiring Kiva Systems, now known as Amazon Robotics, in 2012. What began as machines moving pallets has grown into advanced AI-driven robotics capable of assisting with complex fulfillment tasks. At Amazon Shreveport, these innovations help products move through the facility 25% faster than traditional centers.

What This Means for Workers

For employees, this shift means fewer repetitive tasks and more opportunities for skilled work. While automation has led to smaller employee footprints, average facility head counts are at a 16-year low, Amazon has also retrained over 700,000 workers for higher-paying roles in robotics and tech oversight. Some workers now monitor robots from remote offices earning 2.5 times their previous wage.

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Locally, Shreveport workers are being trained in areas like mechatronics, robotics troubleshooting, and AI-assisted logistics. And despite fears of job cuts, Amazon Robotics leaders insist these machines are meant to complement human staff, not replace them entirely.

The Bigger Picture

Amazon’s automation push is not just about speed, it’s a strategic solution to issues like workforce turnover. Nationally, 75% of the company’s deliveries are now touched by robotics in some form. Shreveport is a prime example of what Amazon sees as the warehouse of the future.

But it raises the question: In Shreveport, are there now more robots than people? While Amazon hasn’t released specific numbers for each facility, all signs suggest it’s close, if not already there.