Alibaba Group's logistics arm, Cainiao, plans to build a large-scale global network of robotic warehouses in 2026 as it expands local fulfillment and delivery capabilities for cross-border ecommerce platforms and merchants worldwide.
The automated facilities are planned for key markets including Hong Kong, China, the Netherlands, Spain, France, Germany and the United States.
The warehouses will primarily use Cainiao's self-developed next-generation warehouse robots and AI-powered scheduling system.
Cainiao said compared with traditional automated warehouses, the new robotic facilities are designed to deliver higher storage density and greater operating efficiency.
The push aligns with broader industry momentum: analysts from Fortune Business Insights forecast the global warehouse robotics market to more than triple — from approximately US$7.35 billion in 2026 to over US$25.41 billion by 2034 — fueled by advancements in AI-enabled autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and goods-to-person technologies.
As retailers and brands race to meet rising consumer expectations for faster and more reliable delivery, businesses are accelerating investments in flexible, software‑defined warehouse infrastructure.
"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," said Shuai Yong, vice president of Cainiao and general manager of its Global Supply Chain business.
The company aims to significantly expand next-day and two-day delivery coverage from warehouses in those markets.
"For Cainiao, AI is not simply about adding automation to existing logistics processes. The company is redesigning logistics operations from the ground up, using AI and automation to reshape how goods are stored, moved and delivered across the supply chain," Alibaba's logistic arm said in the announcement.
On the hardware side, Cainiao is accelerating the development of key enabling technologies, such as its next-generation logistics warehouse robots.
These advanced systems are engineered to fundamentally transform traditional warehouse workflows by automating and optimizing critical processes — including high-density storage, precise picking, and seamless goods movement—delivering substantial gains in speed, accuracy, and overall throughput.
Complementing this hardware push, Cainiao is expanding AI integration across the entire end-to-end logistics supply chain. This includes sophisticated demand forecasting models that leverage big data and machine learning to predict sales with greater precision, reducing overstock and stockouts; streamlined customs clearance through AI-driven compliance and documentation automation; and highly intelligent robot scheduling algorithms that dynamically orchestrate fleets of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and other equipment for real-time task allocation, collision avoidance, and peak-efficiency routing.
Cainiao noted that one of its key advantages is its ability to develop technology in large-scale, real-world business environments. As one of the logistics companies with the strongest technology capabilities, Cainiao operates highly complex, long-chain businesses at significant scale. These large operational scenarios provide a practical foundation for training, testing and refining AI and robotics solutions.
Cainiao also is broadening its service offerings to meet new market demand alongside the global expansion of its robotic warehouse network. That includes accelerating the rollout of large-item warehouses to support the overseas shipment of bulky goods, while also offering container loading at factories worldwide to enable one-stop flows from global factories to overseas consumers.
In addition, Cainiao enables advanced value-added services such as bundled shipments (consolidating multiple orders from the same buyer into one efficient parcel), direct inbounding of unpackaged goods (allowing bulk or loose items to enter warehouses without individual packaging), and secondary assembly within facilities.
These capabilities help merchants and platforms optimize packaging from the outset—reducing materials, minimizing waste, streamlining customs handling, and cutting overall logistics expenses significantly while maintaining high service quality and speed.
Cainiao Global Supply Chain operates more than 40 overseas warehouses across 18 countries and regions in Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific, providing a wide range of international brands and merchants with omnichannel, end-to-end supply chain management solutions and warehousing and fulfillment services, helping brands in sectors such as auto parts, home goods, consumer electronics and furniture accelerate their global expansion.
