Special Supply edition - Q1 2026

Monthly Summary

Summary will be prepared once the month is finished.

🤖 Newsletter: Supply Chain & AI Robots

In brief: Robotics and AI are redefining global supply chains. Figure's humanoids have been tested in BMW production (30,000 vehicles assembled with their help), Walmart drones already serve 1.8 million households in Texas with a target of 40 million customers, and Starbucks achieves 80% of orders in under 4 minutes thanks to computer vision at pilot locations. Welcome to the supply chain of tomorrow.

• Figure's humanoid robots have been working on BMW X3 production lines for five months, 10 hours a day. Engineers see breakthrough potential, while pointing to challenges with random part picking and visual quality control. Author's comment: Universal humanoid robots in production are no longer science fiction — automation of repetitive tasks on assembly lines is becoming a key direction for industrial development.
  Reddit
  
• Boston Dynamics' Atlas, standing 175 cm tall and weighing 90 kg, sorts roof boxes at a Hyundai production facility — this is its first real-world application. Author's comment: The current level of deployments is more modest than futuristic visions, but each new implementation shows progress from laboratory to factory.
  Video link
  
• Atlas can rotate its joints 360 degrees, surpassing human capabilities. It has partnered with the Institute of Robotics and AI to improve walking. Author's comment: Machines surpass human capabilities needed for assembly line manipulation — range of motion and precision are no longer limited by biological construction.
  Video link
  
• Midea's Miro-U robot has six arms and wheels, challenging the idea of mimicking human form 1:1. Author's comment: Capabilities can be developed far beyond the human form — innovation doesn't need to imitate nature to be effective.
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• UBTECH Robotics announced mass production of Walker S2 humanoid robots. Deliveries for BYD, Geely, FAW-Volkswagen, DongFeng, and Foxconn. Prices below $2,000. Author's comment: Production capabilities allow rapid scaling of identically trained workers to the needed scale — this is a revolution in workforce scalability.
  The Sun
• The CA-1 robotic kitchen in Düsseldorf can prepare 120 dishes per hour without chefs. Prices from €6. Author's comment: We must not forget specialized robots — sometimes a machine dedicated to one task is better than a universal humanoid.
  Circus Group
  
• Amazon introduced smart glasses for delivery, allowing drivers to scan packages and navigate hands-free. Author's comment: Development of human worker capabilities is also progressing — let's hope there will still be room for them in future production and service practices.
  Amazon
  
• DoorDash introduces Dot — an autonomous delivery robot traveling at 32 km/h, capable of carrying up to 13.6 kg. It focuses on last-mile delivery. Author's comment: Robots are beginning to dominate the courier industry, especially on the last mile — the most difficult and costly delivery stage.
  TechCrunch
  
• New York regulators extended Waymo's permit to test autonomous vehicles until the end of the year. Author's comment: Driverless transportation is becoming reality — regulators are slowly opening the road to autonomous mobility.
  TechCrunch
  
• Waymo is introducing SUVs and vans to Denver and Seattle. Expansion also includes Dallas, Miami, and Washington. Author's comment: Autonomous taxis are conquering new territories — each city is another step in building a global network.
  TechCrunch
• Amazon's Prime Air drones deliver packages on established flight paths from distribution centers at altitudes of 35-120 meters. Author's comment: Automated cargo transport is no longer tied to the ground — the third dimension of logistics is becoming reality.
  Amazon
  
• A drone set a world speed record — 655 km/h, covering Paris-Lyon in 30 minutes! Author's comment: Air deliveries can potentially happen at incredible speed — which changes the logic of supply chain planning.
  Video link
• Walmart is expanding its drone delivery program to Atlanta. It plans to reach 1.8 million additional homes in Texas. Author's comment: This already allows building massive delivery networks — scale is growing exponentially.
  Retail Dive
• Amazon is testing a 30-minute delivery service in Philadelphia and Seattle. Author's comment: Delivery time is becoming a new field of competition — whoever is faster wins the customer.
  Retail Dive
• France has launched the world's first highway that charges vehicles while driving. By 2035, 80% of the highway network is expected to have this technology. Author's comment: Public investments pave the way for new solutions — state support in implementing innovative infrastructure projects accelerates transformation.
  Vinci Autoroutes
  
• Mango partnered with Inspectorio to improve supplier activity visibility. The collaboration has lasted six years. Author's comment: Different companies introduce different AI solutions into their processes — for example, purchasing. Each industry finds its own path.
  Retail Dive
• Starbucks uses computer vision to track inventory. The SmartQueue system processes over 80% of orders in less than 4 minutes. Author's comment: Production and inventory management are other areas where AI brings measurable benefits — fewer stockouts, faster service.
  Restaurant Dive
• Retailers predict AI will improve operations. Kroger, Sprouts, and Instacart are collaborating in this area. Author's comment: The consumer interface is changing — AI is becoming the intermediary between customer and product.
  Retail Dive
• Instacart integrates large language models (LLMs) to detect data errors and improve product descriptions. Author's comment: Sales coordination requires precision — LLMs help maintain data quality at scale.
  Instacart Tech
• Walmart launched an AI platform with four super-agents. Amazon introduced Lens Live for visual shopping. RFID increased inventory accuracy from 65% to 99%. Author's comment: And some do everything at once — comprehensive AI transformation covers every touchpoint with customer and supplier.
  Retail Dive