Meta tests robotic arms and cable-swapping bots to cut data center labor needs
Meta is trialing robots from vendors like Kinova and ABB to perform tasks such as resetting servers and swapping networking cables in its data centers. One worker estimates a successful cable-swapping bot could replace up to 80 percent of some technicians' workloads. Meta declined to comment on the tests but emphasized a need for more skilled workers amid an infrastructure boom.
The trials involve multiple vendors, with a Kinova Gen3 arm being tested for power cycling servers and a separate robot handling cable swaps. A simple finger-shaped device can remotely restart Mac Minis by pressing power buttons. Earlier industry attempts failed when robots crushed servers, but cheaper hardware and improved AI models have made such automation more viable.
Meta's robotics senior manager Eric Xu stated last year that putting robots in data centers is a long-term goal, citing faster incident response and preventative maintenance benefits. The company declined to comment on current tests, with spokesperson Francis Brennan emphasizing a skilled worker shortage amid what he called America's biggest infrastructure boom since World War II.
The automation of data center physical tasks could significantly affect technicians, particularly those performing repetitive work like cable swaps and server resets. While proponents argue robots could handle dangerous or monotonous tasks and free workers for complex problems, the estimate that one bot could replace 80 percent of some workloads suggests meaningful job displacement may occur. Communities dependent on data center employment could feel economic effects, though the industry's worker shortage may soften the transition.