What does this mean for workers? Xiaomi's move touches 3 jobs, which together employ about 7.2 million people in the U.S. Across them, AI and robots already touch between 19m (team assemblers) and 4h 31m (laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand) of a typical 8-hour shift. A single company's move is an early signal for these jobs, and the time cards show how far the change has spread nationally.
A pilot is a limited test, often at a few sites, that may or may not expand.
On the floor
- Xiaomi humanoid robots work a full 8-hour shift on its EV assembly line
Xiaomi posted video of two humanoid robots working an eight-hour shift at a parts sorting station in final assembly at its car factory, picking panels from bins, turning them the right way and racking them in car order. CEO Lei Jun called the run an "internship".
TechEBlog · Team Assemblers, Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand, Stockers and Order Fillers
Jobs affected
- Team Assemblers19m of 8h touched · 1.4 million workers · $45k · +1.1% by 2035Where AI or robots show up most: Operate machinery and heavy equipment, such as forklifts (18m a shift, robots)
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand4h 31m of 8h touched · 3 million workers · $40k · +1.8% by 2035Where AI or robots show up most: Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment (4h 13m a shift, robots)
- Stockers and Order Fillers1h 17m of 8h touched · 2.8 million workers · $37k · +8.9% by 2035Where AI or robots show up most: Operate equipment such as forklifts (28m a shift, robots)