GXO Eyes Up to 1,000 Humanoid Robots in Warehouses by 2030

GXO Logistics has signed a letter of intent with robotics developer Apptronik that could put up to 1,000 Apollo humanoid robots to work in warehouses worldwide over the next four years.

The number is a ceiling, not a commitment. Any rollout depends on trials beginning in 2027 hitting agreed performance and safety targets. But the scale of the ambition signals how fast warehouse operators are moving from piloting humanoid robots to planning fleet-level deployment.

The first commercial deployment could land in North America in late 2027, the companies said. That follows a 2026 pilot in the United States, where Apollo robots autonomously picked small consumer goods in a live warehouse.

What does the deal actually cover?

The agreement expands a partnership that began in 2024 with a proof-of-concept programme for Apollo in warehouse environments. Since then, the partners have evaluated more than 50 different logistics tasks at Apptronik's Robot Park training facility, running data collection and autonomous testing on potential applications.

The expanded trials starting in 2027 will cover:

• order picking
• packing
• sortation
• movement of cases and totes

Each application gets assessed against agreed productivity and performance indicators before wider deployment goes ahead. The companies will also evaluate technical requirements, operational security and workplace safety — and how the robots work alongside human employees and existing automation systems.

How will GXO pay for it?

Alongside the trials, GXO and Apptronik plan to build a Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) commercial framework. That structure would let GXO bring humanoids into operations through a service-based arrangement rather than conventional equipment purchases.

The model matters commercially. Buying thousands of humanoid robots outright would mean heavy capital exposure on unproven technology. A service arrangement shifts performance risk toward the vendor and lets GXO scale deployment — or pause it — as trial results come in.

Why GXO is pushing humanoids now

Apollo is designed for repetitive, physically demanding warehouse tasks. The companies argue the technology can lift operational productivity and address labour availability challenges — a persistent pain point for warehouse operators across North America and Europe.

GXO CEO Patrick Kelleher framed the move as a step change in warehouse automation. "Humanoid robots are the latest evolution of intelligent automation, and their increasing dexterity will make them one of the most transformative applications of physical AI in logistics," he said.

The context gives the claim weight. GXO operates more than 1,000 facilities worldwide and employs over 150,000 people across contract logistics, warehouse management and supply chain services. A decision to standardise humanoid labour at that footprint would be one of the largest industrial robotics commitments in logistics to date.

What happens before the robots scale?

Everything is conditional. The companies must first demonstrate the technology can meet operational, safety and performance requirements before the up-to-1,000-robot deployment proceeds. The 2027 trials are the gate.

For shippers and 3PL customers, the near-term impact is limited — no robots arrive before the trials conclude. For competitors, the signal is clearer: a top-tier contract logistics operator is preparing a commercial and operational template for humanoid labour, including a service-based payment model, that could be copied quickly if the trials succeed.

For Apptronik, a global deployment of this size would move Apollo well beyond the pilot phase and give the Austin-based developer a reference customer with the scale to prove humanoid robots in production logistics.

The expanded collaboration will now determine whether humanoids can cross from pilot projects into practical, large-scale warehouse operations — with the first hard evidence due when trials begin in 2027.