Cainiao to roll out global AI robotic warehouse network
Cainiao plans to build a large-scale global network of robotic warehouses in 2026 as it expands local fulfilment and delivery operations tied to cross-border eCommerce.
The automated sites are planned for Hong Kong, China, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany and the United States. They will use Cainiao's next-generation warehouse robots and an AI-powered scheduling system.
Warehousing automation is rising on the priority list for retailers, marketplaces and logistics providers as delivery expectations tighten and cross-border order volumes grow. Cainiao's push comes as the warehouse robotics market expands and competition intensifies among providers serving online merchants across regions.
Market backdrop
Fortune Business Insights forecasts the global warehouse robotics market will more than triple, from about USD $7.35 billion in 2026 to more than USD $25.41 billion by 2034. The firm attributed that growth to advances in AI-enabled autonomous mobile robots, automated storage and retrieval systems, and goods-to-person technology.
Many modern distribution centres already use these tools, combining conveyor systems, mobile robots and software platforms that manage inventory locations and picking routes. Much of the commercial pressure comes from service-level targets for next-day delivery and predictable delivery windows. Peak periods such as major sales events add strain to labour availability and warehouse throughput.
Cainiao positioned the robotic warehouse programme as part of a broader push within its global supply chain unit and expects the new facilities to improve storage density and operating efficiency compared with traditional automated warehouses.
Shuai Yong, Vice President of Cainiao and General Manager of its Global Supply Chain business, linked the programme to broader shifts in logistics technology.
"As the AI era arrives, we are accelerating the application of AI and robotics across our global supply chain network to enhance the consumer experience," Shuai Yong said.
Cainiao aims to significantly expand next-day and two-day delivery coverage from warehouses in those markets.
Robots and software
Cainiao described the plan as more than adding automation to existing processes. Instead, it is redesigning logistics operations with AI and automation across how goods are stored, moved and delivered through the supply chain.
On the warehouse floor, the company is accelerating development of next-generation logistics robots for high-density storage, picking and goods movement. These functions typically sit at the centre of productivity because they determine how quickly items can be retrieved and orders consolidated for dispatch.
The programme also includes an AI scheduling system for warehouse operations. In robotic environments, scheduling software assigns tasks across robots and other equipment to keep work flowing and avoid congestion and downtime. Cainiao said its approach uses AI for real-time task allocation, collision avoidance and routing across fleets of autonomous mobile robots and other equipment.
Beyond the warehouse, Cainiao is expanding AI across the end-to-end logistics supply chain. It cited demand forecasting models that use big data and machine learning to predict sales and reduce overstock and stockouts. It also said it is applying AI to customs clearance through compliance and documentation automation.
Service expansion
Cainiao is also broadening its service offerings alongside the warehouse build-out. It cited larger-item warehouses for the overseas shipment of bulky goods, which often require different storage and handling than small-parcel operations.
It will also offer container loading at factories worldwide. This upstream step can affect how goods arrive at destination warehouses, with downstream impacts on receiving, inventory recording and putaway.
Cainiao also offers bundled shipments, direct inbounding of unpackaged goods and secondary assembly within facilities. Bundled shipments consolidate multiple orders from the same buyer into a single parcel. Direct inbounding allows bulk or loose items to enter warehouses without individual packaging. Secondary assembly covers additional in-warehouse preparation, including kitting and light assembly for specific orders.
Cainiao said these services can reduce packaging materials and waste, streamline customs handling, and lower overall logistics costs while maintaining service quality and speed.
Existing footprint
Cainiao Global Supply Chain operates more than 40 overseas warehouses across 18 countries and regions in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific. It serves international brands and merchants with end-to-end supply chain management, warehousing and fulfilment services.
The company works with brands in sectors including auto parts, home goods, consumer electronics and furniture. The planned build-out signals continued investment in physical logistics assets as marketplaces and merchants position inventory closer to end customers across multiple markets.
Cainiao said the new robotic facilities will be located in key markets, with a focus on expanding next-day and two-day delivery coverage from those sites.