A new generation of AI-powered robots is taking over warehouses

At the time, the technology was still proving itself. As e-commerce demand skyrocketed and labor shortages intensified, AI-powered robots went from a nice-to-have to a necessity. Covariant, one of the many startups working on developing the software to control these robots, says it's now seeing rapidly rising demand in industries like fashion, beauty, pharmaceuticals, and groceries, as is its closest competitor, Osaro. Customers once engaged in pilot programs are moving to integrate AI-powered robots permanently into their production lines. Knapp, a warehouse logistics technology company and one of Covariant's first customers, which began piloting the technology in late 2019, says it now has "a full pipeline of projects" globally, including retrofitting old warehouses and designing entirely new ones optimized to help Covariant's robot pickers work alongside humans.