# Inside the state of warehouse automation

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2023-12-08
- Length: 1h 41m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation

## Summary

John Santagate, Vice President of Robotics at Körber Supply Chain, discusses the integration of mobile robots in warehouses, highlighting the shift toward serving SMBs and the emerging viability of autonomous forklifts and humanoids like Agility Robotics' Digit. Peter Chen, Co-Founder and CEO of Covariant, explains their robotics foundation model approach, detailing how they leverage data from customers like Autogroup to improve AI performance and offer a simplified 'Covariant One' as-a-service pricing model. The episode covers the strategic decisions behind partnering with vendors like Locust Robotics and KUKA, and the economic arguments for Robotics as a Service (RAS) over traditional Capex models in warehouse automation.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=7) Introduction: Robot Report Podcast and Event Announcements
- [6:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=376) Agility Robotics Digit Testing at GXO and Spanx
- [16:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=1009) Körber Supply Chain and John Santagate on Mobile Robotics
- [38:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=2324) Autonomous Forklifts and Humanoid Viability in Warehouses
- [1:01:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=3661) Covariant and Peter Chen on Robotics Foundation Models
- [1:21:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation#t=4911) Covariant One and Robotics as a Service (RAS) Model

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Agility Robotics (company)
- Digit (product)
- GXO (company)
- Spanx (company)
- Körber Supply Chain (company)
- Locust Robotics (company)
- Geek Plus (company)
- Fetch (company)
- Balyo (company)
- DHL (company)
- Amazon (company)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Atlas (product)
- Covariant (company)
- Peter Chen (other)
- Open AI (company)
- Autogroup (company)
- KUKA (company)
- ABB (company)
- Knap (company)
- Covariant One (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [244: Automate LIVE 2025: Warehousing Innovations, AI at the Edge, and Interoperability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-04-244-automate-live-2025-warehousing-innovations-ai-at-the-edge-and-interoperabili) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Sustainability in the Robotics-as-a-Service Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2021-10-26-sustainability-in-the-robotics-as-a-service-industry) (Over the Air)
- [Independent Investment Banking in Robotics, Automation, and AI with Cascadia Capital’s Firdaus Pohowalla](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-02-08-independent-investment-banking-in-robotics-automation-and-ai-with-cascadia-capit) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 1 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-20-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-1-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Perspectives on Automation, AI, & the Future w/ Andy Lonsberry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2021-06-08-perspectives-on-automation-ai-the-future-w-andy-lonsberry) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2023-12-08-inside-the-state-of-warehouse-automation. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.