Too many warehouse automation projects are failing, leading to widespread layoffs in the autonomous mobile robots industry, and putting the future of organizations at risk.

Monty McVaugh, head of products with Opex Corporation, tackles two major challenges in the warehouse today: the chronic labor shortage, and demand by customers for ever-faster order fulfillment.

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.

Gina Chung, vice president corporate development with Locus Robotics, traces the progress of artificial intelligence in the warehouse, and the ever-broadening scope of functions that it's driving today.

The rise of digitization is making warehouse processes more efficient, by automating tasks and giving employees time to focus on more complex duties.

Artificial intelligence can aid in the primary goal of warehouse management: to get the right inventory as close to the end-consumer as possible, says Corey Calla, president and CEO of SencorpWhite.

With AutoPilot and AutoPilot Central, the company says, supply chain managers can reduce planning time by 97%, reduce inventory waste by 13%, and optimize labor planning, among other benefits.

Warehouse orchestration is the answer for facilities looking to integrate and efficiently manage a multitude of discrete systems, says Keith Moore, chief executive officer of Autoscheduler.ai.