Foxconn to cut 10,000 jobs in 2018 as its Innolux display business brings in the robots

Who needs human intelligence when artificial intelligence will do?

Electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn has confirmed that it plans to cut more than 10,000 jobs in its display panels business this year, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

Honorary Chairman Tuan Hsing-Chien said that Foxconn's panel displays arm Innolux plans to slash thousands of jobs this year as it increases its use of automation.

Innolux specialises in creating displays for Foxconn, Apple's main iPhone manufacturer, as well as a number of big-name TV and monitor manufacturers.

The company plans to replace 75 per cent of its current production capabilities with automated technologies

Speaking at a press conference, he said: "We will reduce our total workforce to less than 50,000 people by the end of this year, from some 60,000 staff at the end of 2017," Tuan told reporters at a press conference.

Tuan added that the company plans to replace 75 per cent of its current production capabilities with automated technologies. These plans will be completed by the end of the year, he said.

Just a few days ago, Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou announced that the company will invest $342 million to implement artificial intelligence processes in its factories.

Innolux manufactures TV, laptop, monitor and smartphone displays for a range of high-profile technology companies, including Samsung, LG, Panasonic, HP, Dell, Hitachi, Sharp, TCL and Hisense.

The company is automating its production processes in a bid to accelerate the development of future innovations, including a new display called active matrix mini-LED.

Ting Chin-lung, executive vice president of the company, claims that these screens can trump their OLED counterparts. They offer better contrast and can be used in foldable devices, he said.

He said the company is in the process of speaking to multiple car manufacturers to use mini-LED screens within vehicles.

However, Ting failed to mention when these screens will actually come to market and many manufacturers are continuing to plough money into existing OLED screens.

Apple's iPhone X sports an OLED screen, and it is believed that the tech giant will unveil two phones using the technology this autumn.