Tech with Purpose: Protecting People with Innovation at Amazon

Episode notes

Guests: Aaron Parness (Director) & Beryl Tomay (VP) Amazon is reinventing the future of work. with robots that can feel, AI smart glasses for delivery drivers, and new safety-first systems that transform how millions of packages move every day. In this episode, we go behind the scenes at Amazon’s “Delivering the Future” event to explore how technology, robotics, and human-centered leadership are transforming work at massive scale. First, Aaron Parness, Director of Applied Science in Robotics & AI, reveals how his team built Vulcan — a robot with a sense of touch — and what it teaches us about experimentation, iteration, and designing technology that elevates human workers instead of replacing them. Then, Beryl Tomay, Vice President of Transportation at Amazon, shares how innovations like AI-driven smart glasses, hazard detection, and advanced driver training are making frontline work safer, more dignified, and more sustainable…all while getting packages to your porch quickly.