Amazon Unveils Vulcan Robot, Expands Across Europe, US

Amazon has unveiled Vulcan, its first warehouse robot featuring a sense of touch, initially deployed in Spokane, Washington, and Hamburg, Germany. Vulcan leverages force-feedback sensors, cameras, and AI to pick and stow about 75% of warehouse items with human-like precision, even in crowded spaces. The robot is designed to support human workers by taking on repetitive and physically demanding tasks and is expected to create new technical jobs within Amazon. Despite Amazon's assurances that full warehouse automation is not intended, Vulcan's introduction has revived concerns about potential job losses as automation expands. The launch triggered a rise in Amazon's stock price and boosted AI-focused cryptocurrencies, highlighting investor optimism around AI-driven logistics. Amazon plans to expand Vulcan's deployment across the US and Europe, keeping the interplay between innovation and workforce impact under scrutiny.