An internal letter signed by more than 1,000 Amazon employees urges CEO Andy Jassy to slow the company’s AI expansion, warning it could have “staggering” social and environmental consequences.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
More than 1,000 Amazon workers have signed an open letter addressed to CEO Andy Jassy and senior leadership, expressing alarm over what they describe as the company’s reckless pursuit of artificial intelligence technologies. The letter, organized by the group Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ), claims the company’s AI strategy could endanger democracy, accelerate job loss, and increase environmental damage.
According to Fortune, signatories range from corporate staff and IT technicians to Whole Foods cashiers. Although they represent a small portion of Amazon’s 1.53 million employees, their message is pointed: “The all-costs-justified, warp-speed approach to AI development will do staggering damage to democracy, to our jobs, and to the Earth.”
The letter accuses Amazon of prioritizing AI investments over its climate goals, even as its global carbon emissions have grown since 2019 despite a net-zero target for 2040. Employees say the company is forcing workers to use AI tools while simultaneously cutting positions. In October, Amazon announced roughly 14,000 corporate layoffs, with total reductions potentially reaching 30,000 — the largest in its history.
The signees also warn that Amazon’s AI-driven restructuring could expand surveillance. They cite concerns about the company’s Ring doorbell business, which they say risks turning into an AI-first platform that could hand unprecedented monitoring capabilities to police and government agencies.
Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser rejected the employees’ claims, calling them “categorically false.” He told Fortune that Amazon remains committed to renewable energy, carbon-free operations, and sustainable investments, including advanced nuclear energy partnerships.
The letter concludes with a list of demands, including a transparent plan to power all data centers with renewable energy, employee oversight of AI implementation, and a pledge that Amazon’s AI systems will not be used for violence, surveillance, or mass deportation.
Read the full report at Fortune.
Original article
Comments