Inside Meta’s push to put robots to work in data centers
Executive Take
Meta is quietly building the case to run its AI data centers with far fewer people. Physical, hands-on jobs are no longer safe from automation just because they're not desk work.
Executive Summary
Meta is testing robots from Watney Robotics, Kinova, and ABB to perform data center tasks like plugging cables and power cycling servers, according to current and former workers. One worker estimates a cable-swapping robot could replace up to 80 percent of some staff workloads if successful.
Why It Matters
HR and technology leaders should watch this closely because it shows automation moving into physical labor, not just white-collar tasks. Workforce planning for data center and infrastructure roles needs to account for this shift now, not later.
Bizquad Perspective
Most leaders still frame AI job risk as a white-collar story, but Meta's own workers say physical infrastructure jobs may go first because the tasks are repetitive and easy to automate.