Amazon earlierrevealedTwo new robotics and AI technologies designed for its operations network are the "Blue Jay" multi-arm collaborative robot system and the "Project Eluna" agent-based AI model. Amazon emphasizes that these innovations aim to reduce repetitive tasks for frontline workers, improve workplace safety, increase productivity, and further accelerate package delivery.
“Our latest innovations are great examples of how we can leverage AI and robotics to create better experiences for our employees and customers,” said Tye Brady, Chief Technology Officer, Amazon Robotics.
Blue Jay: Multi-arm collaboration, process integration, and reduction of duplication of work
Described as an "extra hand" for employees, Blue Jay primarily assists with repetitive tasks involving reaching and lifting. It is a next-generation robotic system capable of coordinating multiple robotic arms to perform multiple tasks simultaneously. It integrates functions that previously required three separate robotic workstations: picking, stowing, and consolidating, into a single, streamlined workspace.
Amazon describes Blue Jay's operation as a "juggler who never misses," handling tens of thousands of items at high speed while also acting as a conductor, ensuring all movements are coordinated and in sync. This design not only provides greater support for employees but also creates greater efficiency within a smaller physical footprint.
Notably, Blue Jay's development cycle, from concept to production, took just over a year, significantly faster than previous development times of over three years. Currently, Blue Jay is undergoing production testing at an Amazon facility in South Carolina and is reportedly capable of handling approximately 75% of all inventory types. It will become a core technology for Amazon's Same-Day delivery sites, potentially shortening package delivery times for customers.
Project Eluna: Agent-based AI reduces cognitive load and predicts operational bottlenecks
Project Eluna, on the other hand, is an agent-based AI system designed to help reduce the cognitive load on operations center managers, who traditionally need to monitor dozens of dashboards simultaneously, respond to technical outages, reallocate resources, and make quick decisions.
Project Eluna is designed to operate autonomously, capable of reasoning about complex operational situations and recommending actions to operators. It integrates historical and real-time data from across the facility to predict potential bottlenecks and help maintain smooth operations.
Eluna will be tested first at an Amazon fulfillment center in Tennessee during this year's holiday shopping season, initially focusing on sorting process optimization. Operators can ask Eluna questions like, "Where should we shift personnel to avoid bottlenecks?" and receive clear, data-backed recommendations. The goal is to enable managers to move from firefighting to more visionary planning.
Core goal: Improve employee safety and efficiency and build a future work model
Amazon emphasized that the core goals of both Blue Jay and Eluna remain the same: reducing highly repetitive tasks, improving ergonomics (e.g., keeping employees in optimal working conditions), and expanding career development paths. The introduction of Eluna also allows leaders to spend more time coaching their teams rather than tracking data.
These two new technologies build on other recent Amazon AI and automation innovations, such as robots with a sense of touch for handling ergonomically challenging tasks.Vulcan, and AI-based models for coordinating large-scale mobile robot fleets across facilitiesDeepFleet.
Tye Brady concluded: “What really matters is not the robots themselves, but the people – and the future of work that we are building together.”
