Amazon’s new robotic warehouse system | Meta sued by 42 states

Amazon has big ambitions for its new Sequoia robotic system, aiming to make its warehouses both faster and safer at the same time.

• The semi-autonomous system presents totes to employees in their ergonomic power zones, at an angle that makes it easier for them to reach inside to grab items.

• The rollout comes as Amazon faces growing scrutiny over the safety of its warehouse operations and continues to push to achieve faster delivery times.

• We got a first-hand look at Sequoia from Amazon project leader Rain Wang (above) during an event at the company’s robotics testing ground south of Seattle. Read more and watch a video of Sequoia in action.

Sorry, Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin: Seattle is No. 1 in a new report assessing regional competitiveness based on the concentration of tech workers with in-demand skills, such as AI and cloud computing. Read more.

Convoy last week laid off a majority of its workforce without any severance — a surprising and abrupt shutdown for one of the Seattle region’s biggest startups. Now a Detroit-based law firm focused on labor rights is looking into the situation. Read more. 

Continuing a trend started by Seattle Public Schools, a group of 42 states including Washington and California sued Facebook and Instagram parent Meta, alleging that it designed and deployed features that harmed children and teens. Read more.

A popular transit app needs an “influx of cash.” Created 15 years ago at the University of Washington, OneBusAway has been relying on a small team of volunteers to keep the bus and train data moving on time. Funds to hire a dedicated developer would be a big help. Read more.

Time magazine’s 200 Best Inventions of 2023 features devices and services from five companies based in or working in the Seattle area. See the list. 

Coming up: Microsoft reports its quarterly earnings this afternoon. The numbers could be an early financial indicator for the new era of AI. Check out our preview. 

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