For everyone worried about working alongside robots as AI takes over sometime in the future, it's time to realize ... the future is now.
Case in point: at a factory where General Motors laid off 1,000 jobs due to reduced demand for EV models, the Detroit assembly plant 'hired' 50 robots, known as cobots, to work on the line alongside remaining workers.
The cobots are attaching body panels to vehicles at the Factory Zero plant, with GM claiming they improve safety. They also use AI to "anticipate maintenance needs and detect production issues early," per News Nation.
“We’ve been installing cobots across our manufacturing footprint as part of a broader push to bring more advanced technology into our operations,” company spokesperson Kevin Kelly said in a statement. “At Factory ZERO, we are implementing them alongside our team, helping improve safety and ergonomics, while keeping our operations flexible and competitive.”
According to GM, the job cuts are unrelated to the robots and are instead solely related to poor EV sales. However, the union, as one would expect, isn't keen on the move to bring in robots after letting go of workers.
"It's always a concern when you see a robot coming to a plant, especially after they have laid off over a thousand people," UAW Local 22 President James Cotton told Crain's Detroit. "They say it's the wave of the future, and if that's so, they're taking away jobs from people. From top to bottom, we're disgusted that they have cobots in our plants."
He also expressed safety concerns about robots working alongside humans.
Despite the increased automation, UAW says has made historic wage gains in 2023 and the union adds it plans to seek stronger protections in the 2028 contract negotiations.
GM's heavy automation and cobot push come as the company faces slowing EV demand, leading to production pauses at Factory Zero. Hence, cutting humans and adding robots.
At the same time, Yahoo Finance reported that in the first quarter of 2026, GM had $4.25 billion in profits, up 22% from the same period the previous year.
And GM President Mary Barra has made no secret of her plans for an AI-innovated future.
“AI not only optimizes manufacturing processes and accelerates virtual testing but also helps us build smarter vehicles while empowering our workforce to focus on craftsmanship," she said at an event earlier this year. By merging technology with human ingenuity, we unlock new levels of innovation in vehicle manufacturing and beyond.”
With robots gaining traction, UAW president Shawn Fain said workers are “in a fight for humanity,” according to the News Tribune.
“The fruits of our labor have multiplied like never before, but workers aren’t reaping the harvest,” he said, according to the outlet.
