Amazon is the largest marketplace in the world. It sends 20 million parcels to 19 countries every day, so it requires huge amounts of paper, cardboard and polyethylene for packaging.
In addition, you also need to use packaging materials effectively so that, for example, you do not put small products in a large box.
In 2019, Amazon created artificial intelligence that selects the ideal packaging for each product. As a result, the company annually saves at least 500 thousand tons of packaging. In total, Boeing 737 aircraft weigh approximately 7,750.
With the help of this AI company, it likely saved millions of dollars because it wasted less product, although Amazon itself does not disclose this figure.
Short description
How Amazon AI works
Why can’t others make a similar system?
Why retrain AI?
What else can Amazon do with AI?
How Amazon AI works
Internally, the artificial intelligence is called the “Packaging Decision Engine.” This ensures that customers’ purchases are delivered in the most efficient packaging, while preventing damage and simplifying delivery.
In creating the models, engineers have trained her on millions of product samples that have been delivered without damage in various types of production. They also present products presented with damage and details of the packaging used to ship them.
When a product first arrives at the Amazom warehouse, it goes through Special tunnel with computer vision, which determines the dimensions of the product and identifies its vulnerabilities. For example, unprotected glass.
The AI then provides this data with a colored card that includes the name, description and dimensions. Also, AI almost lastly collects information from customer reviews.
After collecting all the data, the AI produces a measuring device that shows which type of packaging is best to use.
The model understands that additional rules are important when reading solutions on the packaging. For example, the transportable bag is not suitable for items with the words “food” or “ceramicware” in the description. It is recommended to use a box instead.
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Why can’t others make a similar system?
Amazon can use artificial intelligence to make decisions inside packaging because it has the money and data to do so.
I think Amazon is at the forefront of artificial intelligence in manufacturing because they have a lot of data. Other companies don’t have that much data.
Yuihark Lee, Associate Professor, Michigan State University
Amazon is now using its AI throughout North America and Europe. The company is working on its implementation in India, Australia and Japan.
The difficulty of launching in other countries is due to the availability of specific products in these markets and the language barrier, as is the case with India and Japan.
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Why retrain AI?
Amazon uses artificial intelligence to package most of its products. The main problem for Amazon is plastic because it is difficult to recycle. Such a company is gradually abandoning the use of paper.
In October 2023, Amazon announced that its warehouse in Euclid, Ohio, had replaced plastic packaging with recyclable paper and cardboard. Help make the transition artificial intelligence, which itself determined which items can be safely stored in paper parcels. (a new type of packaging that is 90% lighter than rigid cardboard boxes of the same size), which requires greater protection.
At the moment, the transition to the new version of Euclid has been completed. In Europe, Amazon has already replaced plastic bags and bubble wrap with paper and cardboard boxes and paper fillers. This is due to the fact that a law banning single-use plastic packaging will soon come into force in the European Union.
As a result of all the changes, artificial intelligence had to be regularly retrained so that it selects the correct packaging for each product.
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What else can Amazon do with AI?
Amazon uses many artificial intelligence models in its work. Thus, the company has AI that identifies spoiled goods, selects clothes and shoes, and identifies low-quality vegetables and fruits in Amazon Fresh stores. This is only what directly relates to purchases.
Amazon also has AI for controlling smart devices, producing cards, products and advertising, predicting football matches and many other models.
Amazon believes that artificial intelligence is the transformative driving force of our time that will become an increasingly important part of business, which is why it is investing heavily in this area.
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Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
