Amazon is tripling its robot workforce--to 110,000--in 2017

It was the eighth-largest private employer in the US at the end of 2016, and it's poised to climb those ranks quickly. The online retailer also announced plans to build a second US headquarters that will employ 50,000 employees. But Amazon's growth comes at a cost. It has a well-earned reputation for overwhelming competitors. Even though Amazon represents a small portion of the overall retail industry, it dominates the industry's sales growth.