Will Human Jobs in Logistics Disappear? Figure AI Robot Moves 40,000 Packages in 36 Hours
Published May 15, 2026, 1:51 PM
On May 14, Figure AI began a live demonstration showcasing the capabilities of its humanoid robot in a logistics environment, sparking discussions about warehouse automation and the potential for AI to replace repetitive jobs. Initially, the plan was to conduct an 8-hour challenge, but the robot ultimately operated continuously for over 36 hours, processing more than 40,000 packages.
According to Figure AI, the robot featured in this demonstration is based on the Helix 02 model and was performing logistics sorting tasks in a fully autonomous mode. The operation primarily involved flipping packages so that the labels faced down and placing them on a conveyor belt, simulating the repetitive tasks commonly found in real logistics centers.
Throughout the live stream, the robot repeatedly performed actions such as moving, flipping, and pushing packages. Although the initial plan was to test for only 8 hours, the live broadcast has continued, with the robot surpassing 36 hours of operation and processing over 40,000 packages. This has led many viewers to speculate about the future human workforce in the logistics industry.
However, the live stream did reveal occasional errors, including instances where packages fell off the conveyor belt. From the footage, it is clear that the robot currently lacks the ability to correct or remediate these errors autonomously and still requires human intervention to handle unusual situations. Figure AI also acknowledged that the live demonstration was not conducted by a single robot throughout the entire duration. Due to limited battery life, when one robot’s power ran low, another robot would take over the task. Therefore, the operation was more akin to a “shift-based” system rather than a single unit working continuously for over a day.
In recent years, companies specializing in humanoid robots have emphasized the potential for automation in high-repetition jobs within logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing. This live demonstration by Figure AI has once again brought attention to the possible future work model in warehouses, which may involve “minimal human supervision with multiple robots in operation.”
Nevertheless, humanoid robots still face challenges in areas such as stability, anomaly detection, battery life, and cost, making a complete replacement of human workers a distant prospect. While this live demonstration showcased the ability to operate for extended periods, the observed errors indicate that, in the short term, logistics environments will still require human assistance for monitoring and managing exceptional cases.
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