JD.com Plans 3 Million Robots for Full Automation in Logistics
Chinese e-commerce and retail giant JD.com has announced new plans to transform its logistics operations with artificial intelligence, robotic systems, and autonomous delivery technologies. The company aims to achieve comprehensive automation across its supply chain over the next five years by deploying 3 million robots, 1 million unmanned vehicles, and 100,000 delivery drones.
JD.com’s Wolf Robot Series Enters Logistics Operations
At an event held in Beijing, JD Logistics introduced its industrial “Wolf Robot” series. Cao Peng, Chairman of the company’s Technology Committee, stated that the new technologies will be used to automate logistics processes ranging from warehousing to last-mile delivery.
According to Liu Lige, the executive responsible for embodied intelligence robots at JD Logistics, the system will be able to perform repetitive and labor-intensive tasks such as product picking, sorting, transportation, and delivery with minimal human intervention. The robots include models capable of operating in cold environments as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius, automated pharmacy shipment systems, and delivery drones.
100,000-Chip Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure to Be Built
JD.com plans to build a large-scale artificial intelligence computing cluster consisting of 100,000 chips together with Chinese chipmaker Moore Threads as part of its “physical AI” strategy, which focuses on robotics and hardware. The company also aims to collect more than 10 million hours of operational data within two years to train robots under real-world conditions.
The new technology investments are part of the company’s efforts to expand the use of artificial intelligence across its retail, e-commerce, logistics, healthcare, and supply chain operations. JD.com had previously announced that it had deployed AI technologies across more than 3,000 use cases and that e-commerce sellers were using artificial intelligence in product management, marketing, customer service, and after-sales operations.
JD.com Plans Retraining for Employees
The automation process also covers approximately 700,000 delivery and logistics employees working within the company and its ecosystem. Under the “Nirvana Plan,” announced by founder Liu Qiangdong, couriers and warehouse employees are planned to be trained in new areas such as robot maintenance, servicing, and technical operations.
JD.com also aims to expand its robot after-sales service capacity to more than 100 countries over the next five years and create new employment opportunities for more than 100,000 robot service engineers.