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Amazon launches new R&D group focused on agentic AI and robotics
Tech giant Amazon plans to launch a new group within its consumer product division that will focus on agentic AI. Amazon announced this new research and development group at an event on Wednesday, according to reporting from CNBC. This group will be based out of Lab126, Amazon's hardware R&D division that is behind tech including the Amazon Echo and the Kindle. The reason this agentic AI group is likely based at a hardware R&D center is that Amazon hopes this group will develop an agentic AI framework to use in the company's robotics efforts and to give the company's warehouse robots more skills. TechCrunch reached out to Amazon for more information.
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Amazon's R&D lab forms new agentic AI group
Amazon has formed a new group within its consumer product-development arm that is focused on agentic artificial intelligence, the company said Wednesday. The team will be based in Lab126, the stealthy Silicon Valley-based research and development unit behind the Kindle e-reader, Echo smart speaker and other popular Amazon devices. A growing number of companies are building AI agents as they look beyond text and image generators. In contrast to AI services such as chatbots, agents are capable of completing multistep, complex actions on a user's behalf. The new group will help develop an agentic AI "framework" for use in its robotics operations, an application often referred to as "physical AI." These systems enable robots to "hear, understand and act on natural language commands," Amazon said. Amazon's AI lab released a web browser-based agent earlier this year. Its cloud unit has also formed its own agentic AI group. Amazon's Alexa+, an AI-infused update of its voice assistant released in March, is also expected to have some agentic capabilities.
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Amazon's secretive research lab is developing robots with integrated agentic AI software - SiliconANGLE
Amazon's secretive research lab is developing robots with integrated agentic AI software Amazon.com Inc.'s stealthy Lab126 organization has formed a new group that's focused on artificial intelligence agents, the company said today. Lab126 is a research and development organization within the company that's known for its great secrecy. It has previously helped to develop devices such as the Amazon Kindle e-reader and Echo smart speaker, and it has a reputation for keeping many of its innovations under wraps until it's ready to launch them as products. The formation of the new group comes at a time when a growing number of technology firms are exploring the potential of AI agents. They're looking to leverage advances in AI to go beyond simple text and image generators, and create digital assistants that can perform complex, multistep tasks and actions on their user's behalf. The new group at Lab126 will mostly be looking at how AI agents can enhance the company's robotics. Amazon already utilizes a number of warehouse robots within its logistics operations, and it's looking to increase their intelligence, so they can perform various tasks. That would be a big improvement, as today's robots are generally designed to do only one job. To that end, Amazon's new group will try to develop an agentic AI framework for what are known as "physical AI" applications. By embedding agentic AI capabilities into robots, the machines will be able to unload trailers and then retrieve any parts that need repairs, Amazon said at a presentation on Wednesday. The agentic AI software will make it possible for the robots to "hear, understand and act on natural language commands", the company explained, transforming them into an army of flexible, automated workers with multiple skills. Yesh Dattatreya, a senior applied science manager at Amazon Robotics, told Reuters the main benefit for Amazon's customers will be faster deliveries. He believes they can be especially helpful during periods of high demand, such as holidays, helping to process orders faster and streamline warehouse operations by lifting heavy objects in confined spaces. They would also help to keep waste to a minimum and reduce carbon emissions, he said. Amazon's agentic AI robots are still at the very early stage, however, and the company has not yet decided what form factor they will take, or when and how many will be deployed, Dattatreya stressed. Amazon already has experience with AI agents. Earlier this year, the company's AI lab launched a web browser agent called Nova Act that's capable of performing tasks online. It has also debuted an advanced version of its digital voice assistant, called Alexa+, which has some agentic capabilities. In a separate announcement at the same event, Amazon said it's working on the creation of more advanced mapping technologies for delivery drivers in an effort to improve their efficiency. The tech will provide more granular detail on things such as building shapes, and any obstacles drivers might need to navigate past on their way to dropping off a package. "This innovation is making it easier for Amazon drivers to find the right delivery spot, especially in tricky places like big office complexes," the company said at the event. Amazon hinted that these advanced maps may be integrated with the specialized eyeglasses it's developing for delivery drivers. Last year, it was reported that the company is working on glasses that feature an embedded display that can show a real-time map and provide real-time, turn-by-turn directions. The idea is that the drivers can keep their hands firmly on the wheel at all times, instead of stopping to fiddle with a GPS device - or worse, doing so without stopping. Viraj Chatterjee, who is vice president and general manager of Amazon Maps and Geospatial, confirmed the company is working on such a device, the first time any company official has done so. He told Reuters that the new map technology may be used with such a device, but added that the hardware is still under development. He said that early tests show the software is especially helpful in large housing developments, where many buildings have an identical appearance.
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Amazon Launches Agentic AI Group to Enhance Its Warehouse Robots, Reports Say
Amazon (AMZN) reportedly has assembled a research and development (R&D) team to develop an agentic artificial intelligence (AI) framework for its robotics division. The team will be housed at Lab126, the Amazon R&D unit responsible for the Kindle e-reader, Fire TV products, and Echo devices, according to CNBC and Reuters. Agentic AI, unlike more straightforward tools like chatbots, is designed to handle complex tasks assigned by users, sometimes with little human interaction required. Amazon wants to use that technology in its warehouse robots, making them capable of performing in-depth processes rather than just a single job, the reports said. "We're creating systems that can hear, understand and act on natural language commands, turning warehouse robots into flexible, multi-talented assistants," Amazon said, per Reuters. Earlier this year, Amazon Web Services (AWS) launched its own agentic AI division, according to Reuters, which said it had viewed an internal email from AWS CEO Matt Garman in which he wrote that agentic AI had potential to be "the next multi-billion business for AWS." Shares of Amazon rose nearly 2% in recent trading Thursday but are down 4% in 2025.
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Amazon Launches New Agentic AI Group To Boost Robotics, Enhance User Interactions - Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN)
Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN launched a new team within its consumer R&D division to focus on agentic artificial intelligence. The Details: The agentic AI group will operate out of Lab126, Amazon's secretive Silicon Valley unit known for creating the Kindle, Echo and other flagship devices, according to CNBC. As more tech firms move beyond generative AI toward autonomous agents, Amazon is developing systems that can handle complex, multistep tasks on behalf of users -- far surpassing traditional chatbots. Read Next: Elon Musk's Optimus Could Herald The Biggest Industry In History, Billionaire Investor Marc Andreessen Says The new team aims to build an agentic AI framework specifically for robotics, often described as "physical AI." These systems will allow robots to interpret and respond to natural language commands. Earlier this year, Amazon's AI lab released a browser-based agent, and its cloud division has also set up a separate agentic AI team. In March, Amazon rolled out Alexa+, an upgraded voice assistant with expected agentic features. Why It Matters: Analysts at BofA Securities on Monday named Amazon as a leader in AI and robotics. The firm emphasized that Amazon is still early in its robotics optimization cycle. BofA analyst Justin Post reaffirmed a Buy rating on Amazon stock, raising the price target from $230 to $248, citing strengthened competitive positioning and improved profitability from ongoing AI and robotics investments. Agentic AI is quickly becoming a core driver of enterprise automation and digital transformation. Amazon joins other tech giants including Salesforce and Microsoft in the agentic AI space. Read Next: The Viral Student Loan Solution People Can't Stop Talking About Photo: Shutterstock AMZNAmazon.com Inc$207.260.75%Stock Score Locked: Edge Members Only Benzinga Rankings give you vital metrics on any stock - anytime. Unlock RankingsEdge RankingsMomentum70.38Growth97.10Quality69.09Value49.70Price TrendShortMediumLongOverview This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
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Amazon's R&D lab sets up new agentic AI group By Investing.com
Investing.com -- Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is establishing a new team dedicated to agentic artificial intelligence within its Lab126 hardware research and development unit. The company stated that the group will be focused on developing an agentic AI framework for use in its robotics operations, a concept often referred to as "physical AI." The Lab126 unit, located in Silicon Valley, is known for its innovative work on popular Amazon devices like the Kindle e-reader and Echo smart speaker. This new team will concentrate on agentic AI, which is a growing area of interest for many companies. Unlike AI services like chatbots, agentic AI is capable of carrying out multistep, complex actions on behalf of a user. Amazon's move to form this team within its consumer product development arm underlines the company's commitment to expanding the capabilities of its robotics operations. The new agentic AI framework will enable robots to hear, understand, and act on natural language commands, enhancing their functionality and interaction with users.
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Amazon forms a new R&D group focused on agentic AI within its Lab126 division, aiming to enhance robotics capabilities and develop advanced consumer products.
Amazon, the tech giant known for its innovative consumer products and e-commerce dominance, has announced the formation of a new research and development group focused on agentic artificial intelligence (AI) 1. This strategic move positions Amazon at the forefront of the rapidly evolving AI landscape, as companies increasingly look beyond traditional text and image generators towards more complex AI systems.
The newly formed group will be housed within Lab126, Amazon's secretive Silicon Valley-based R&D unit responsible for developing popular devices like the Kindle e-reader and Echo smart speaker 2. By integrating the agentic AI team into Lab126, Amazon aims to leverage its hardware expertise to create cutting-edge AI-powered devices and systems.
Source: TechCrunch
A primary focus of the new group will be developing an agentic AI framework for use in Amazon's robotics operations, often referred to as "physical AI" 3. This initiative aims to significantly enhance the capabilities of Amazon's warehouse robots, enabling them to perform multiple complex tasks rather than being limited to a single function.
Source: SiliconANGLE
Yesh Dattatreya, a senior applied science manager at Amazon Robotics, explained that the agentic AI-powered robots would be able to "hear, understand and act on natural language commands" 3. This advancement could lead to more efficient warehouse operations, particularly during high-demand periods, potentially resulting in faster deliveries for customers and reduced carbon emissions.
While the focus appears to be on robotics, Amazon's venture into agentic AI extends beyond warehouse automation. The company has already released a web browser-based agent called Nova Act and an upgraded version of its voice assistant, Alexa+, which incorporates some agentic capabilities 23.
Analysts view this development as a significant step for Amazon. BofA Securities recently named Amazon as a leader in AI and robotics, emphasizing that the company is still in the early stages of its robotics optimization cycle 5. The potential for agentic AI to drive enterprise automation and digital transformation positions Amazon alongside other tech giants like Salesforce and Microsoft in this emerging field.
Source: CNBC
While the agentic AI robots are still in the early stages of development, their potential impact on Amazon's operations and the broader AI landscape is significant. However, Amazon has not yet decided on the final form factor of these robots or their deployment timeline 3.
As Amazon continues to invest in AI and robotics, it faces the challenge of integrating these advanced technologies into its existing operations while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The success of this initiative could further solidify Amazon's position as a leader in both e-commerce and technological innovation.
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