As the excitement of Cyber Monday intensifies, a surge in online shoppers is anticipated, with projections suggesting that upwards of 71 million customers will seek online bargains. This makes it a particularly active day for major online retailers, including Amazon.
In response to this heightened demand, Amazon is leveraging advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enhance its delivery services, aiming to provide even quicker shipping options.
The company is proud to announce its most rapid delivery times to date. At its facilities designated for same-day delivery, Amazon has streamlined its process to the point where orders are ready to be shipped in just 11 minutes from the time they are placed. This efficiency significantly outpaces the delivery times at facilities handling next-day or two-day shipping.
Scot Hamilton, who oversees Planning and Routing Technology at Amazon, likens the Thanksgiving weekend to their own version of the Super Bowl, stating that extensive preparation goes into it months before the event.
Hamilton shares a unique perspective on AI, comparing it to the presence of oxygen: invisible and unnoticed, yet fundamental in creating what he describes as ‘the magic’.
Amazon is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimize its delivery routes, dynamically adjusting to changes in traffic and weather. This technology also plays a crucial role in predicting the daily demand for a vast range of products, totaling over 400 million items. By anticipating where these products are most likely to be ordered globally, Amazon can accelerate its delivery process. This efficiency becomes particularly evident during the holiday season, where delivery stations, typically handling 60,000 packages daily, ramp up to manage over 110,000 packages.
Tye Brady, the chief technologist at Amazon Robotics, emphasized the extensive influence of AI across the company’s supply chain.
Amazon has introduced a new system called Sequoia, which enhances the efficiency of inventory management and storage by 75% and cuts down order processing time by 25%. This advancement is especially beneficial for ensuring that items ordered during Cyber Monday are delivered more swiftly.
In the midst of concerns about potential job losses due to AI advancements, Amazon has highlighted a positive impact: the emergence of 700 new job categories related to robotics and automation.
News Credit : CBC News
