Meta is testing robots that can plug in cables, reset servers and handle other maintenance tasks inside its data centres, according to WIRED. The trials cover machines from Watney Robotics, Kinova and ABB, with human supervision still required for the more delicate work.
Meta data centre robots are moving beyond transport
Meta already uses a self-driving tugger robot to move heavy server racks and a wheeled machine to track inventory at several facilities, including sites in Iowa and Virginia. The inventory robot is also being tested for failure inspections, although its camera cannot distinguish red from green indicator lights, leaving some checks to people.
The newer trials are more ambitious. At Meta’s Altoona, Iowa, campus, two dual-armed Watney robots have been tested on cabling work since June 2025. The company is also evaluating a Kinova Gen3 robotic arm for switching servers off and on, while ABB machines at the Prometheus data-centre campus in New Albany, Ohio, are being tested to reseat hardware components.
WIRED reports that the machines are not yet as fast as technicians. They can need time to recharge, struggle with floor cables and require people to open doors or guide them between buildings. One worker estimated that a successful cable-swapping robot could replace up to 80 percent of some workloads. That is a worker estimate, not a Meta forecast.
Why Meta is testing robots in data centres
Meta’s long-term robotics goals include faster incident response, environmental monitoring and preventative maintenance, Eric Xu, a senior manager for robotics at Meta, said at a conference cited by WIRED. The company declined to comment on the specific trials.
The work comes as data-centre operators face rising demand for AI infrastructure and a shortage of technicians in some locations. The International Finance Corporation says data-centre investment is spreading across emerging markets, while Data Centre Knowledge reports that UAE capacity is expanding around Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Meta’s tests do not indicate that these robots are operating in the UAE.
Microsoft, Google and Amazon are also exploring robotics for data-centre operations, including rack work and parts recycling. For now, the gap between moving equipment and repairing it remains a human-sized problem.
Meta data centre robots: what we know
The robots are being tested for cabling, server power cycling, hardware reseating, inventory tracking and failure inspection. Meta has not announced a timetable for wider deployment, and the company has not confirmed the worker’s estimate about workloads.
The article’s primary reporting comes from WIRED’s investigation into Meta’s data-centre robot experiments.
What tasks are Meta’s data-centre robots being tested for?
The trials cover networking-cable swaps, server power cycling, hardware reseating, inventory tracking and some failure inspections.
Are Meta’s data-centre robots replacing technicians now?
No. The robots remain slower than technicians in the reported trials, need recharging and human supervision, and still struggle with some cabling and navigation tasks.
Are Meta’s data-centre robots being used in the UAE?
There is no indication in the report that these Meta robots are operating in the UAE. The UAE is expanding data-centre capacity, but that is separate from Meta’s trials.
