Supply chain leaders are expected to increase investment in technologies over the next two years, but they must prioritize what they want to implement, says Carly West, senior director analyst at Gartner.

Organizations are struggling to secure the labor, knowledge workers and leaders they need to thrive — and logistics and supply chain-focused businesses have been hit particularly hard.

The rate of expansion in warehouse automation technology presents ample opportunities as well as new challenges. For stakeholders, that translates into a massive landscape of choice.

Are robots that are modeled after the human form the best choice for warehouse operations?

Regardless of the size or age of a warehouse, person-to-goods (P2G) robotics is better for warehouse functionality than goods-to-person (G2P), says Kait Peterson, senior director of product marketing at Locus Robotics.

Walmart first started experimenting with drone deliveries in the Dallas-Forth Worth region in 2021, before expanding the service to cover 75% of the region in early 2024. 

Heimo Robosch, executive vice president with Knapp, details the business drivers behind the rapid growth in warehouse automation.

Amazon will expand the area it services with drones in Texas, and will start integrating such shipments into its same-day delivery network this year.

Bringing technology into a warehouse — especially robotics — is no simple task. Kim Losey, chief growth officer with Rapid Robotics, discusses the right way to introduce innovation.

It may sound surprising, but what differentiates humanoid robotics from a lot of other automation technologies is that it actually takes nothing to prepare for it, says Damion Shelton, president of Agility Robotics.