Amazon Expands Language-Controlled Proteus Warehouse Robots to Broader Operations

Amazon announced a new version of its fully autonomous warehouse robot Proteus that can interact using language instead of code. The design has not changed much from the original Proteus announced in 2022. Previously, workers needed to use specialized software to direct the floor-level, tortoise-like systems designed for heavy lifting and moving large carts throughout Amazon’s warehouses.

Scott Dresser, vice president of Amazon Robotics, said the updated robot understands ordinary instructions. “You tell it what needs to be done. It figures out the priority, the route, the timing,” Dresser said.

The next generation of Proteus will also work across a much larger area than the current versions, which Amazon says only operate in dock areas. The new system can transport containers as they arrive on site, move them between workstations, and assist employees across fulfillment centers and delivery sites.

The Verge reported that the expanded capabilities come as part of Amazon’s growing pivot toward automation.

The new system is currently being piloted in Amazon’s labs. Amazon plans to deploy the new Proteus system in Europe during the first half of 2027. The company also plans to expand its touch-sensitive robot called Vulcan and a collaborative tote-handling system first piloted in Barcelona to more sites across Europe in the coming year.

Amazon says it is creating new jobs alongside these technologies. The company claims to have hired hundreds of thousands of employees globally since introducing robotics into its operations. Amazon insists its robots are designed to support workers and streamline operations rather than replace them.