SAN JOSE, Calif. – Sitting on a table inside Amazon’s Delivery Hub in Milpitas, a pair of new Amazon smart glasses appears both fashionable and functional. On Wednesday, company executives showcased the latest innovations designed to improve delivery efficiency and driver safety.
“What we’re unveiling is something that is so superior in terms of delivery experience as well as driver safety,” said Viraj Chatterjee, Amazon vice president of Geospatial Technology.
The glasses allow drivers to identify the correct package to grab inside their trucks and detect potential hazards outside the vehicle, such as pets. Officials said the technology supports safe, same-day delivery—any day of the week.
AI and robotics drive operations
For about an hour, executives demonstrated advances in artificial intelligence and robotics that are transforming how Amazon handles merchandise.
“Blue Jay is a next-generation robotics system that coordinates multiple robotic arms to perform many tasks at once,” said Tye Brady, Amazon’s chief technologist.
Officials said Blue Jay robots can pick, sort and consolidate orders, allowing human workers to focus on packaging and other less repetitive tasks.
“With the advent of AI and how accessible it has become, more and more companies are looking for automation of both simple tasks and even more complex tasks,” said Dr. Vahid Behzadan, a computer scientist at the University of New Haven.
Amazon also unveiled Project Eluna, an AI-powered system that functions as a digital operations manager.
“We think that we now have a tool that can analyze all of the sight data as it happens, consider how the scenarios have been addressed in the past, review all the operational best practices, and present a detailed reasoning for recommendations,” said Brady.
The company said it has hired 250,000 new workers over the past decade and credits AI-driven systems with creating a safer and more productive workplace.
“History has shown that automation typically doesn’t destroy jobs—it creates new roles,” Behzadan said.
Experts warn of workforce shifts
Some experts said while these innovations benefit Amazon and many employees, they could also mark a seismic shift for the U.S. workforce.
“They make things faster, cheaper and more accurate in the fulfillment,” said Dr. Ahmed Banafa, a technology expert at San Jose State University. “Yes, there will be some people who lose their jobs… Either you upscale—meaning you try to find another job where AI will be part of it or you’re gonna be unemployed.”
With each order, click, and completed delivery run, Amazon is positioning itself at the forefront of an AI-powered future—where augmented work environments drive both efficiency and profitability.
“This feature is designed to literally make shopping as easy as a single tap,” said Sarah Matthew, Amazon vice president of delivery experience.
The new Amazon glasses can run continuously for up to eight hours or be turned off manually. The company plans a nationwide rollout, meaning customers will begin seeing them in use soon.
