Why Amazon needs robots

Welcome to Daily Zaps — Here’s what we got for you today: 🙌

Why Amazon needs robots

Amid growing concerns over worker safety, Amazon's interest in integrating robots and humanoids into its operations becomes evident. The aim is not just to enhance operational efficiency but primarily to reduce the physical demands on human workers, thereby ensuring their well-being. A recent study conducted by the University of Illinois Chicago's Center for Urban Economic Development highlighted that 69% of Amazon US warehouse workers took unpaid time off to recover from job-related pain or exhaustion.

Study summary below:

• 41% of workers report being injured while working at an Amazon warehouse.

• 51% who have been at the company for more than three years have been injured.

• 69% have had to take unpaid time off due to pain or exhaustion from working at the company in the past month.

• 34% have had to do so three or more times.

• 52% feel burned out from their work at Amazon.

• Among those working at the company for more than three years, 60% report feeling burned out.

• 41% always or most of the time feel pressure to work faster, and another 30% sometimes do.

• Injury (53%) and burnout (78%) are elevated among those feeling pressure to work faster always or most of the time.

• 60% experience more workplace monitoring at Amazon than at previous jobs.

This research indicates injuries at Amazon might be more prevalent than previously believed, based on a survey from 42 states involving 1,484 warehouse workers. While Amazon spokesperson Maureen Lynch Vogel criticized the study's methodology, she also underscored Amazon's unwavering commitment to worker safety. The company's exploration of automation is seen as a proactive measure to address safety concerns, rather than merely a strategy to improve profit margins.

$10 million AI safety fund

OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Microsoft have jointly announced the appointment of Chris Meserole as the first Executive Director of the Frontier Model Forum, an industry body dedicated to the safe and responsible development of frontier AI models globally. The announcement also introduced the AI Safety Fund, a $10 million initiative backed by prominent tech companies and philanthropic partners. This fund aims to promote research in AI safety, filling the increasing need for academic research as AI capabilities advance.

The Fund aims to develop and test evaluation techniques for the potential risks of frontier AI systems. The Frontier Model Forum, in its commitment to AI safety, has been working on establishing common definitions and sharing best practices across the industry.

From Our Partners

Protect your digital world 24/7

The security you need, the features you’ll love:

• Uninterrupted streaming - Watch your favorite content without any slowdown or interruption on all your devices, wherever you are – no limits on bandwidth or speed.

• Next-generation encryption - Connect to a VPN server and be sure that NordVPN’s cutting-edge A-256 encryption keeps your online data safe, even on public Wi-Fi.

• One account, six devices - Secure six devices with one account, use NordVPN on all operating systems and browsers. Install NordVPN on your router to protect your home network.

Get Your Plan → 69% off the 2-year plan + 3 months extra

Meta’s “Creator AIs”

During an investor call discussing Meta Platforms' third-quarter earnings, CEO Mark Zuckerberg highlighted the significance of artificial intelligence (AI) in the company's future strategies. The company reported a 23% rise in revenue and nearly tripled its profit. Zuckerberg emphasized upcoming AI tools, especially "Creator AIs" set to launch the following year, which aim to enhance interaction between creators and their fans on Meta's apps.

One of the company's primary investment areas is AI, consistent with Meta's ongoing projects in this domain. The company continues its endeavors in the metaverse, recently launching a new version of its Ray Ban smart glasses. However, during the earnings call, it was revealed that Meta's department responsible for augmented and virtual reality devices, including the Quest headsets, is expected to remain unprofitable.

1 million+ paying GitHub Copilot users

Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, announced significant growth in the generative AI sector, revealing a 40% quarter-on-quarter increase in paying customers for the company's GitHub Copilot software. With over 1 million paid Copilot users spanning more than 37,000 organizations, Nadella emphasized its widespread adoption both within and outside the US. Microsoft continues to integrate artificial intelligence across its product range, with the Bing search engine now offering over 1.9 billion chats through its integration with OpenAI's ChatGPT.

In addition to Copilot's success, Microsoft's Edge browser has gained market share for ten consecutive quarters, introducing features like personalized answers and support for DALL-E 3, leading to the creation of over 1.8 billion images. Microsoft's collaboration with startup OpenAI, involving an investment of over ten billion dollars, is expected by Wall Street analysts to potentially yield returns of up to a hundred billion dollars.