Foxconn: AI Will Soon Replace 80% of Factory Labor
The chairman of Foxconn, the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, Young Liu, has made a statement that could mark a major turning point in 21st-century industrial models. According to Liu, artificial intelligence is already capable of performing up to 80% of production workloads, and future factories will be redesigned entirely around intelligent algorithms. The remaining 20% of tasks will require high-level specialists — engineers, analysts, and AI system operators.
Foxconn, the key supplier for giants like Apple, Nvidia, and Amazon, has long been a leader in automation. But this time it’s not just about robotic arms on assembly lines — the company is introducing autonomous systems capable of adapting and analyzing real-time production data. Liu emphasizes that AI will oversee logistics, component testing, and even equipment maintenance across smart manufacturing sites.
This announcement comes amid a global restructuring of supply chains. Countries are investing heavily in “smart factories” to reduce reliance on low-paid manual labor. The shift is already visible: in China, South Korea, Germany, and the U.S., factories are emerging where only 1 in 10 workers is human.
This transformation poses a challenge not just for labor markets but for education systems and social policy. Those who want to stay competitive must adapt to an industrial reality where intelligence outweighs muscle — and coding becomes the modern artisan’s tool.
Do you think AI will become the true boss of the factory floor, or will human labor still hold the line in this new age?
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