AI’S THE LIMIT

Airline Employs Humanoid Robots as Baggage Handlers

There’s scope for them to take on more roles too.

A major airline is about to use humanoid robots as baggage handlers. Japan Airlines plans to launch a two-year trial at Tokyo’s Haneda airport at the beginning of May. Created by Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou, China, the bots are being used to help address the country’s labor shortage, which is coupled with a surge in inbound tourism. In total, Haneda handles around 60 million passengers a year, and forecasts suggest staff ratios are likely to worsen. Speaking to Kyodo news agency, JAL Ground Service president Yoshiteru Suzuki said the introduction of robots will “inevitably reduce the burden on workers and provide significant benefits to employees.” Humans will still perform safety tasks, Suzuki said. The robots will instead focus on handling cargo on the tarmac, with plans to eventually clean aircraft cabins. Japan has an aging population, which is contributing to a shrinking workforce. Meanwhile, the Japan National Tourism Organization says there were seven million visitors to Japan in January and February alone this year.