General Motors is facing criticism from labor leaders after installing dozens of robots at its flagship Detroit-area electric vehicle plant while reducing its workforce amid slowing EV demand.

The automaker has reportedly deployed about 50 "collaborative robots," or cobots, at its Factory Zero assembly plant in Michigan, where the machines now work alongside employees on the production line.

The move comes as GM looks to cut costs and improve efficiency after repeated production pauses tied to weaker-than-expected demand for electric vehicles.

GM says the robots are intended to improve worker safety while helping the company remain competitive.

“We’ve been installing cobots across our manufacturing footprint as part of a broader push to bring more advanced technology into our operations,” spokesman Kevin Kelly told Crain’s Detroit Business. “At Factory ZERO, we are implementing them alongside our team — helping improve safety and ergonomics, while keeping our operations flexible and competitive.”

The robots assist workers with attaching body panels as vehicles move down the assembly line, according to AutoBlog.

Union leaders, however, argue the technology is replacing workers rather than helping them.

“Our manpower is being taken away from us,” United Auto Workers Local 22 President James Cotton told Crain's.

“From top to bottom, we’re disgusted that they have cobots in our plants,” he added.

Cotton said the union has filed grievances against GM over the robots and questioned company claims that the technology improves workplace safety.

The dispute reflects broader concerns among organized labor as companies increasingly adopt automation and artificial intelligence to reduce costs and boost productivity.

According to Crain's, the number of labor hours required to build a vehicle has fallen by 50% to 70% since the 1980s due to technological advances.

UAW President Shawn Fain recently warned that workers are “in a fight for humanity” as automation expands throughout American industry.

“The fruits of our labor have multiplied like never before, but workers aren’t reaping the harvest,” Fain said, according to the News Tribune. “And if AI continues to be used as an accessory to that crime, it has to be stopped — it doesn’t have to be this way — in a just society, when workers create more value, they see more of the benefit.”

The controversy comes as GM navigates a cooling EV market. High vehicle prices remain a major obstacle for consumers, according to AAA, and Factory Zero has experienced multiple production pauses over the past year.

Despite those challenges, GM remains highly profitable. Yahoo! Finance reported that the automaker posted first-quarter 2026 profits of $4.25 billion, up 22% from a year earlier.