General Motors has added dozens of robot arms to its Factory Zero electric vehicle facility in Detroit. The move comes while more than 1,000 workers remain laid off from what were described as temporary cuts earlier this year.
The company installed about 50 FANUC robot arms to assist with attaching components on the assembly line. The robots arrived even though GM has not recalled any of the 1,300 workers placed on indefinite layoff in March.
Union leaders expressed frustration over the decision. James Cotton, president of UAW Local 22, said the company could have recalled some members instead of adding the machines. Andrew Bergman, a laid-off union organizer, noted that automation often benefits corporate profits rather than workers.
GM had already made permanent cuts of 1,200 positions at the same plant in October 2025. Other automakers have introduced similar robotic systems, while Chinese manufacturers operate several near-fully automated plants.
