FedEx’s CEO says standard humanoid robots aren’t built for the realities of warehouse work — and that the company needs something more advanced.
In an interview with The New York Times, Raj Subramaniam, CEO of FedEx, explained that tasks like unloading and loading trucks are far more complex than they appear. Packages arrive in every possible size, shape, and weight, making them difficult for conventional humanoid robots to handle reliably.
“We’re not looking for humanoid robots,” Subramaniam said. “We’re looking for super humanoid robots — maybe with a couple of elbows and more degrees of freedom.”
FedEx is still in the pilot phase with robotics and, according to Subramaniam, the technology isn’t “ready for prime time” yet. Alongside robotics, the company is investing heavily in AI, training systems on data from roughly 17 million daily deliveries to improve prediction and efficiency across its network.
Other logistics players are taking a different approach. Amazon and GXO have both leaned into humanoid-style robots for warehouse automation. Amazon already operates hundreds of thousands of robots across its fulfillment centers, with estimates suggesting they could save the company billions annually.
Still, doubts remain. Boston Dynamics has previously argued that the human form may not be the most efficient design for warehouse robotics at all.
For FedEx, the takeaway is clear: copying the human body isn’t enough. If robots are going to work at scale in its warehouses, they’ll need to be more flexible than humans — not just mechanical versions of them.