The news: Amazon is testing humanoid delivery robots, per The Information, which could work in tandem with human drivers or as part of an autonomous fleet of delivery vehicles. The humanoid robotics team is working on incorporating large language models (LLMs) from Chinese companies DeepSeek and Alibaba so the bots can contextualize real-world surroundings. Our take: Delivery bots could help with heavy loads and ease the burden on human drivers, but Amazon might be better served with a less human form factor, such as a platform with walking legs to carry packages. The focus on humanoids could limit functionality, and bringing the uncanny valley to consumers’ front door could be off-putting.

With the humanoid robotics market projected to hit $38 billion by 2035, tech giants see a clear path to monetization—offering tangible use cases beyond the AI arms race.

On today's episode, we discuss the AI conversation that no one is having, how much people watch YouTube on TV, United Airlines showing personalized ads on seat-back screens, the best tasks for smart home robots, the state of working from home, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha, director of forecasting Oscar Orozco, and vice president Paul Verna.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss what to make of Google turning 25 years old, how US shoppers feel about stores, why tiered rewards are all the rage, how Hispanic people think their values are reflected by advertisers and Americans, taxi drivers turning into robots, some mind-bending facts about US geography, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our forecasting writer Ethan Cramer-Flood, forecasting analyst Zach Goldner, and director of forecasting Oscar Orozco.

Walmart ramps up automation to lower fulfillment costs: The retailer is investing in technology to optimize inventory planning and delivery speed.

In 2024, robots will be used by just under half of medium to large operators of warehouses and fulfillment centers in the US. That’s up slightly from 44.9% this year and significantly from 28.0% in 2019.

Amazon’s Q3 earnings are a mixed bag: Strong sales and ad growth helped return the retailer to profitability, but the company’s retail business continues to lose money.

Retailers are increasingly turning toward drones, robots, and automated systems to improve fulfillment and the in-store customer experience (CX).

No economic pain for RaaS: Formic’s cheap rental robots are a lifeline for factories and warehouses suffering from labor shortages. RaaS could help companies compete globally and accelerate US manufacturing.

On today's episode, we discuss whether sports streaming is making us all lose, how much time younger and older folks spend watching TV, California passing tough internet privacy rules for kids, how much recessionary fears have taken their toll on brand loyalty, what happens when robots create ads, an unpopular opinion about the new social media app BeReal, some interesting facts about real-life dragons, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of forecasting Oscar Orozco and analysts Blake Droesch and Dave Frankland.

AI becomes a must-have tool for retailers: Dick’s Sporting Goods, Levi’s, Panera, and others are relying on the technology across all areas of their businesses.

On today's episode, we discuss what happens next now that the newsletter boom has faded, Uber getting serious about grocery, how Starbucks is defying inflation, whether Spotify can revolutionize podcast ads, robots doing all of our housework, an unpopular opinion about TikTok's hype, why so many baseballs are used during a game, and more. Tune in to the discussion with our director of reports editing Rahul Chadha and analysts Suzy Davidkhanian and Blake Droesch.

Restaurants are experimenting with robots, but customers aren’t enthused: Labor crunches and high costs are pushing fast-food chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread to adopt automation front and back of house.

Could robot dogs find a forever home in Homeland Security? Ghost Robotics’ land drones are being tested to patrol inhospitable terrain, but will they elevate border security tensions?

Robots are taking over warehouses

On today's episode, we discuss how LinkedIn is evolving, how successful its creator initiative can be, whether its upcoming social audio platform can compete with Clubhouse, and how user growth and ad revenues are performing. We then talk about whether we can expect nearly all events this year to be virtual, making B2B events more appealing, and how robots can make our lives easier in the office. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Jillian Ryan.

eMarketer principal analyst Victoria Petrock discusses the shifting mindset toward worker, assistant and delivery robots and offers some examples of how they are already helping people everyday. She also explains what's holding drones back and when to expect driverless cars on the roads. Then Victoria and senior research analyst Dane Finley talk about whether telehealth is here to stay, the significance of Alexa's longer-form speaking voice and whether virtual reality is capitalizing on stay-at-home measures.

This report provides an overview of the most important technology at CES 2019 and what it means for marketers, now and in the future.

Every week on eMarketer’s “Behind the Numbers” podcast, we take a few minutes to discuss some of the most intriguing headlines of the past seven days. This week, we're chatting about YouTube and others' efforts to remove content from their platforms, one city's attempt to make tech disruptors play by the rules, and new and improved robot voices.