Robots will replace 700,000 delivery workers ‘sooner or later’, warns JD.com boss

Live updates

1. 12d ago

   JD.com warns robots may replace 700,000 delivery workers

   JD.com founder Richard Liu believes autonomous systems will eventually replace the company's 700,000 delivery couriers. The company is currently retraining staff for technical and maintenance roles to mitigate job losses. This shift reflects a broader trend of companies using AI to replace human workers.

   What's confirmed:

   • JD.com reports that robots could eventually replace up to 700,000 delivery workers.
   • The company is retraining staff for technical roles and robot maintenance to prevent job losses.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • Automated urban delivery vehicles will reach 559,000 by 2035.
   • Census data suggests AI and robotics have not taken away jobs so far.
   • Some companies globally are already using AI to replace human workers.
   Sources used for this update (7)

   1. Companies That Have Replaced Workers with AI in 2025 and 2026 - Tech.co
   2. How many delivery jobs could JD.com's automation efforts put at risk ...
   3. JD.com (JD) Stock Price & Overview
   4. JD.com (HKG:9618) Stock Price & Overview
   5. Delivery Robots: 559,000 automated urban delivery vehicles by 2035
   6. Chinese e-commerce giant JD has reported that robots could
   7. Census Data: AI, Robotics Haven't Taken Away Jobs
   confidence 90%
2. 42d ago

   JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Eventually Replace 700,000 Delivery Workers

   JD.com founder Richard Liu stated that robots will "sooner or later" replace the company's 700,000 delivery couriers. To prevent job losses, the company is retraining staff for technical roles and robot maintenance. Liu noted that demand for human labor will drop as autonomous vehicles and smart logistics systems mature.

   What's confirmed:

   • Richard Liu predicted robots will eventually replace JD.com's 700,000 delivery workers.
   • JD.com signed agreements with approximately 120 schools to retrain couriers for robot maintenance and technical roles.
   • Liu spoke about these developments at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Forum.
   • The company is testing experimental automated delivery systems.
   • Liu did not provide a specific timetable for the replacement of workers.
   Sources used for this update (9)

   1. JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Replace 700,000 Delivery Workers
   2. JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Replace All 700,000 Couriers - WWD
   3. JD.com Founder Warns 700,000 Delivery Workers May Be Replaced by Robots
   4. JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Replace 700,000 Delivery Workers
   5. JD.com Founder Says Robots Will Fully Replace 700,000 Delivery Workers ...
   6. JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Replace Couriers
   7. Chinese boss warns robots will eventually replace delivery workers.
   8. JD.com targets 700,000 workers for retraining as robots reshape logistics
   9. JD.com says robots will replace its 700,000 couriers
   confidence 100%
3. 46d ago

   JD.com Founder Predicts Robots Will Replace 700,000 Delivery Workers

   JD.com founder Richard Liu stated at the 2026 APEC China CEO Forum that robots will eventually make delivery couriers unnecessary. To address this, the company launched the Nirvana Plan to retrain 700,000 employees. Workers will transition into robot maintenance and repair roles through 120 partner schools across China.

   What's confirmed:

   • JD.com founder Richard Liu says robots will replace all 700,000 delivery workers sooner or later.
   • The company launched the Nirvana Plan to retrain 700,000 delivery and warehouse workers.
   • The retraining initiative involves 120 partner schools across China.
   • Retrained workers will move into roles involving robot maintenance and repair.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • JD.com vows to protect a million human jobs from robots.
   • JD.com founder commits to protecting 900,000 workers from AI and robot displacement.
   Sources used for this update (17)

   1. Robots will replace 700,000 delivery workers ‘sooner or later’, warns JD.com boss
   2. JD.com's 700,000 Blue-Collar Workers and Their Transformation Ledger: How Feasible Is It for Couriers to Start Repairing Robots?
   3. JD.com founder says delivery workers will no longer be needed in future
   4. JD.com Vows to Protect a Million Human Jobs From the ‘Inevitable’ Rise of the Robots
   5. JD.com Founder Admits Robots Will Replace Delivery Workers — Even as He Vows to Protect Their Jobs
   6. JD.com Founder Commits to Protecting 900,000 Workers from AI and Robot Job Displacement - Profit Warning Alert
   7. No need for couriers in the future, JD.com's founder Richard Liu says
   8. Robots will soon replace 7 lakh delivery workers, JD.com founder says
   9. Robots Will Replace 700,000 Workers
   10. JD.com founder says robots could replace all 700,000 delivery workers
   11. JD.com Boss: Robots Will Replace Delivery Workers
   12. JD.com Founder Liu: A Day Will Come When Couriers Will No Longer Be ...
   confidence 95%