TECH & INNOVATION  /  E-COMMERCE

By FedEx | First published: March 15, 2022    Updated: September 24, 2025

As e-commerce growth soars, logistics is turning to intelligent automation to meet shipping demand. AI-powered robots are redefining efficiency at every stage of the shipping journey – from sorting to last-mile delivery.

• Advances in AI and robotic hardware are propelling a new generation of intelligent robots that can learn and respond in complex ways.
• In the logistics industry, AI-powered robotics holds massive potential to enhance operational speed and accuracy.
• By leveraging these innovations, logistics providers like FedEx are improving the speed and reliability of cross-border shipping.

Long before chatbots, there were robots. While the explosive rise of ChatGPT may have sparked a global AI boom, robots have been the heroes (or villains) of countless science fiction classics for decades.

Today, what once belonged to science fiction has now become a business reality. Although the likes of Isaac Asimov’s humanoid robots are still out of reach, we have something arguably more practical: intelligent robots that can handle labor-intensive tasks faster and more safely than humans. From sorting to loading, robots are helping industries push the boundaries of automation to power round-the-clock productivity.

The rise of AI-powered robots

Unlike traditional robots that rigidly follow preprogrammed instructions, AI-powered robots combine physical agility with adaptive intelligence. When integrated with machine learning and large language models, modern robots can learn from experience, respond to changing environments, and make context-aware decisions within defined parameters.

At the same time, advancements in robotic hardware, such as sensors and motors, are unlocking new levels of dexterity. The latest robotic arms are beginning to demonstrate the fine motor skills needed to pack a sandwich into a Ziploc bag and even to precisely fold a piece of origami.

Given their ability to learn and respond in increasingly complex ways, AI-powered robots are set to reshape how industries operate across a wide range of applications. By 2035, there could be as many as 1.3 billion AI robots worldwide, including Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and delivery robots. In the manufacturing industry, industrial robots are already widely used to transport materials, assemble delicate parts, and perform quality control.

Beyond the factory floor, AI-powered robots are transforming logistics operations. As demand for air cargo grows, logistics providers like FedEx are adopting cutting-edge robotics to deliver greater speed and accuracy.

How AI-powered sorting robots are driving logistics efficiency

Every day, FedEx ships an average of 16 million packages around the world. Each package must be sorted according to its delivery address, ensuring it is loaded onto the right plane and reaches the right destination.

To add to the challenge, Asia Pacific’s peak shopping seasons – including Double 11, Christmas, and Chinese New Year – drive massive surges in shipping demand. In response to this evolving landscape, FedEx has deployed AI-powered sorting robots at key APAC sorting facilities in South China and Singapore.

Imagine a robotic arm equipped with a barcode reader, scanning each package to decode its destination. Working at top speed, the sorting robot at our Singapore facility can sort up to 1,000 packages per hour and cover up to 100 destinations simultaneously.

Robotic automation is central to our smart logistics vision for Asia Pacific. By cutting down manual sorting, these sorting robot solutions reduce human error.

As e-commerce booms across APAC, businesses need new and innovative logistics solutions to keep up with customer demand and expand across borders. Smart sorting technology supports e-commerce growth by enabling faster and more reliable cross-border shipping – even during peak seasons.

Our focus on automation echoes broader industry trends. As supply chains face rising uncertainties, logistics players are optimizing operational efficiencies, from warehouse management to last-mile delivery. The global warehouse automation market is projected to exceed USD 51 billion by 2030.

This shift toward intelligent automation can help logistics providers reduce delays and respond more flexibly to changing demand. In the future, this technology could enable sorting hubs to operate continuously around the clock.

Beyond sorting: The expanding role of AI robots in logistics operations

Sorting robot solutions are just the beginning. FedEx is always exploring new ways to streamline its logistics operations through AI-powered robotics.

One of the most physically challenging tasks in the logistics journey is truck loading. It requires careful planning to securely and efficiently stack shipments of various sizes, shapes, and weights to maximize space. FedEx works with US start-up Dexterity AI to test AI-powered robots for truck loading. Dexterity AI’s proprietary two-arm mobile robot, DexR, can pick and pack boxes simultaneously, using machine learning to optimize loading and improve with experience.

In Singapore, we’re using AI robots to revolutionize last-mile delivery. We’ve collaborated with QuikBot Technologies – the world’s first Autonomous Final-Mile Delivery (AFMD) Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) – to introduce autonomous delivery robots at selected commercial buildings in Singapore. These robots can use elevators and deliver items between floors, freeing human couriers from long wait times at lift lobbies or security checkpoints.

Delivering the future of logistics

Automating logistics with intelligent robots is part of FedEx’s drive to digitize operations. Globally, we’re building a smart logistics network to support our customers, enabling us to handle ever-growing volumes of e-commerce shipments and deliver new levels of efficiency.

As supply chains get smarter, sorting robots and other AI-powered solutions will take on a bigger role in supporting business operations behind the scenes. Working with innovative logistics providers like FedEx will help businesses keep pace with customer demands and scale with confidence.