Meta Tests Robots for Data Center Work, Raising Layoff Concerns

Meta is testing robots to maintain data centers that power its AI systems, including machines that can replace network cables, restart servers, and inspect equipment. According to WIRED, Meta has tested robots from San Francisco-based Watney Robotics, Quebec-based Kinova, and Zurich-based ABB to reduce labor costs. One employee estimated that a successful cable-swapping robot could replace up to 80% of work in certain roles, but the machine currently cannot match human speed. Meta's robotics initiative has raised concerns, with employees believing automation could reduce the need for experienced technicians and shift remaining work to lower-paid roles operating under AI instructions. A Meta spokesperson stated that the U.S. is experiencing the largest infrastructure boom since World War II, with a severe shortage of skilled workers, and the company needs more workers, not fewer. Currently, the robots still require human supervision and struggle with obstacles, battery life, visual inspections, and dense cable handling. Nvidia and Alibaba are also developing systems to improve robot training. ACE Robotics Chairman Wang Xiaogang said embodied AI could reach a "ChatGPT moment" by the end of 2027. Additionally, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has proposed taxing robots and AI tokens, arguing that the current tax system could make machines cheaper than human workers.