Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai.China's rapid push towards automation could reshape one of the country's largest employment sectors after e-commerce giant JD.com indicated that robots may eventually replace its nearly 700,000 delivery workers. Speaking at the APEC China CEO Forum, company founder Richard Liu said the future of deliveries would no longer depend on human couriers, with robots expected to handle the entire delivery process. The move reflects China's broader ambition to integrate artificial intelligence and robotics into everyday business operations.
Preparing workers for changing job roles
The proposed transition could affect around 700,000 delivery and frontline employees working across JD.com's logistics network. The company has already introduced extensive automation across its warehouses, sorting centres and logistics facilities. Liu said JD.com has launched a rehabilitation and reskilling programme for employees whose jobs are expected to be affected by artificial intelligence and robotics. In partnership with nearly 120 educational institutions across China, workers will be trained in robot repair, maintenance, monitoring and technical operations.
Key features of the transition include:
- Around 700,000 frontline workers could eventually be impacted.
- Nearly 120 educational institutions are supporting employee reskilling.
- Training focuses on robot maintenance, monitoring and technical operations.
- Automation is already active across warehouses and sorting centres.
China targets wider robot deployment this year
China is aiming to make humanoid robots capable of performing more than 100 real-life tasks by the end of this year. The country's Ministry of Industry has instructed state-owned enterprises to shift robots into active "work mode" as part of a wider national automation strategy. The government sees robotics and AI as key drivers of future industrial growth, productivity and technological leadership.
India still depends on human workforce
India's last-mile delivery system continues to rely largely on human workers despite increasing use of automation in large warehouses, e-commerce logistics, manufacturing and customer service. Industry experts believe automation is expanding steadily, but widespread replacement of delivery personnel is still some distance away. Businesses are instead using AI to improve efficiency while maintaining a human workforce for customer-facing operations.
Experts expect jobs to evolve, not disappear
According to experts, robots are unlikely to eliminate employment entirely but will significantly change the nature of work. As automated systems become more common, demand is expected to grow for skilled professionals who can operate, monitor and maintain robotic infrastructure.
Possible emerging roles include:
- Robot operators
- Robot maintenance engineers
- Technical monitoring specialists
- AI-enabled logistics support professionals
China's gig economy already employs millions
According to a Think China report, China has the world's largest gig economy. Around 84 million people work on delivery and ride-hailing platforms, while nearly 320 million people—about 44% of the country's workforce—depend on temporary or flexible employment. As automation gathers pace, the challenge for policymakers and businesses will be ensuring that large-scale technological adoption is matched by equally strong efforts to retrain workers and create new employment opportunities in the evolving digital economy.
