Addressing Labor Shortages with Robotics

It's 11 a.m. on a crisp June morning at London’s Heathrow Airport, the sixth busiest in the world.

As I prepare to navigate my route to the departure gate, an ICE Cobotics autonomous floor scrubber maneuvers through a bustling Queens Terminal 2.

While recruiting in robotics, I've been following the evolving landscape of automation and its impact on the workforce. Recent trends underscore the critical role that robotics and AI are playing in addressing persistent labor shortages across various industries.

The “Cobi” is a shining example of that.

The global pandemic has intensified existing labor challenges, particularly in sectors like retail, manufacturing, and agriculture. In the U.S., manufacturing job opening rates averaged 4.5% in 2023, almost twice the pre-pandemic average. This shortage is not just a temporary blip but increasingly appears to be a long-term challenge.

Companies are turning to robotics and automation to supplement and support human labor with some distinct examples:

• Fast food companies are experimenting with AI and robotics in food preparation and order-taking.
• In agriculture, robots are being developed for weed control, picking and packing fruit and vegetables, and crop inspection.
• In retail, robots are assisting with inventory management and customer service.

While concerns about unemployment exist, historical trends suggest that technological advancements often create more jobs than they eliminate. Companies have now adopted a routine of upskilling and training their existing workforce to perform alongside new technologies.

Not all sectors are suitable for automation just yet, but the impact of AI and robotics on the job market over the next decade is likely to be significant, affecting both blue-collar and white-collar jobs, addressing labor shortages, and driving innovation across industries.

For engineering managers and companies in the robotics sector, this presents a great opportunity for continuous growth and the challenge of recruiting and retaining elite engineers. I invite professionals in the robotics industry to connect with me to discuss how we can collaborate to support continued growth and innovation. Together, we can address critical labor shortages and drive forward the next generation of robotics solutions.