Meta Tests Data Center Maintenance Robots Amid Layoff Concerns

Meta is testing robots from companies including Watney Robotics, Kinova, and ABB to automate data center maintenance tasks like cable replacement and server reboots. While employees fear automation could displace human workers, a Meta spokesperson emphasized a shortage of skilled labor. Meanwhile, ACE Robotics chairman Wang Xiaogang predicted an 'AI moment' for embodied AI by late 2027, and Bill Gates has proposed taxing robots to balance the cost of automation against human labor.