Meta Tests Robots to Handle Data Center Work
Meta is testing robotic arms and cable-swapping systems that workers say could replace up to 80% of some technicians’ workloads.
- Meta is testing robots from vendors including Kinova, ABB, and Watney Robotics to plug in cables, reset servers, and handle other delicate tasks inside its data centers, according to current and former workers.
- Until recently, robots were expensive and sometimes crushed servers during trials, but hardware has become cheaper and AI models far more capable than a few years ago.
- One Meta data center worker estimates a successful cable-swapping robot could replace up to 80 percent of some technicians' workloads, saying, "We thought those of us performing the physical tasks were safe for a while, but not anymore."
- Company spokesperson Francis Brennan defended the strategy, stating Meta is investing heavily in hiring and training workers, asserting "there's a major shortage of skilled workers to fill the roles; we need more workers, not fewer."
- Meta expects $130 billion to $145 billion in 2026 capital expenditures on AI infrastructure, while U.S. technology companies eliminated nearly 140,000 jobs this year as automation moves from computer screens into the physical world.
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Meta Continues to Trade Jobs for AI: Robots Are “Coming For Us All”
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Meta has begun testing robots to perform technical tasks in data centers. The machines connect and replace cables, reboot servers, and maintain equipment, WIRED reports, citing current and former company employees. For its experiments, it uses Watney Robotics equipment...
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