Amazon's 'Proteus' Robot Heads to Europe in $11B Automation Push
TechRepublic, Friday, June 5th, 2026
Amazon upgrades its Proteus robot with natural-language controls and invests EUR10 billion in European warehouse automation expansion.
Amazon unveiled an upgraded version of its Proteus robot at its Delivering the Future event in London, featuring natural-language instruction capabilities that enable the robot to autonomously determine priorities, routes, and timing for material movement tasks.
The robot, currently operational in 25 US fulfillment centers, will expand to European facilities by mid-2027 alongside two additional robots: STARK for lifting heavy totes and Vulcan for handling fragile items with precision. Supporting this robotics rollout, Amazon announced a EUR10 billion investment in European operations and plans to expand its European workforce by 25,000 employees over the coming years.
The company emphasized that these robots are designed to complement human workers by handling repetitive and physically demanding tasks, allowing employees to focus on work requiring judgment and oversight.