Amazon announced on Wednesday that it is accelerating the automation of its warehouses using artificial intelligence and robotics, a move that immediately raises questions about the future of its human workforce.

The e-commerce giant, which is known for its promise of quick deliveries and is the second-largest employer in the United States, showcased robotic arms and other high-tech warehouse tools in Silicon Valley, emphasizing that AI is not only powering new innovations but is also dramatically accelerating the speed at which they are developed.

Among the AI-enhanced equipment demonstrated by Amazon at a conference held in a massive distribution center in Silicon Valley were “Blue Jay” robotic arms, which are billed as being capable of efficiently picking, sorting, and consolidating items at a single workstation.

The Blue Jay, currently being tested in South Carolina, follows the arrival of a Vulcan robot earlier this year, which Amazon described as having a sense of touch while assisting in fulfilling customer orders.

Tye Brady, Amazon Robotics chief technologist, credited AI with slashing the time it took to design, build, and deploy the Blue Jay by some two-thirds to just slightly more than a year.

Brady emphasized the revolutionary change, stating: “That’s the power of AI,” and added: “Expect more rapid development cycles like this…we’re on a trajectory to supercharge the scale and impact of innovation with our operations.”

Despite the rapid automation, Brady dismissed concerns that enhancing warehouses with robotics and AI will result in fewer jobs for humans, citing that Amazon has created more US jobs in the past decade than any other company.

He sent a reassuring message to the employees: “To our frontline employees, here’s my message. These systems are not experiments. They’re real tools built for you to make your job safer, smarter and more rewarding.”

However, The New York Times on Tuesday reported that robotics could allow Amazon to avoid hiring 160,000 workers in just two years, even as its online retail business continues to grow.

Automation of Amazon warehouses could significantly cut the need for new hires, particularly when it comes to the temporary workers required for peak holiday shopping demands. Amazon also demonstrated an AI agent designed to manage robots and warehouse teams more efficiently.

The e-commerce giant’s innovations extend beyond distribution centers, as Amazon also showcased camera-equipped smart glasses that display navigation and delivery instructions directly to drivers.