A coalition of Amazon employees has penned an open letter expressing “serious concerns” about the company’s aggressive push into artificial intelligence, claiming the “warp-speed approach to AI development will do staggering damage to democracy, to our jobs, and to the earth.”
The letter was released amid a period of significant corporate restructuring, which has seen Amazon announce thousands of corporate role reductions. While CEO Andy Jassy and Senior Vice President Beth Galetti have cited the need for a leaner structure, greater ownership, and the transformative potential of AI as reasons for “reducing roles,” the employees’ letter connects the AI investment directly to the resulting job cuts and increased workplace demands.
Here are the key concerns raised by the Amazon employees in their open letter:
1. AI is Expediting Layoffs and Intensifying Work
The employees argue that Amazon is “forcing us to use AI while investing in a future where it’s easier to discard us.”
Though CEO Andy Jassy has previously stated that efficiency gains from generative AI are expected to reduce the company’s total corporate workforce over time, employees claim the immediate reality is increased pressure. They report experiencing “higher expected output and shorter timelines” and “massive investment in AI with little investment in career advancement.” The letter also highlights that logistics coworkers have been particularly impacted by work speedups, increased surveillance, injuries, and burnout.
2. Environmental Impact and Climate Backtracking
The letter strongly criticizes Amazon for prioritizing the AI race over its publicly stated climate goals. Despite a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, the employees point out that Amazon’s annual emissions have reportedly grown significantly since 2019, and the AI expansion is widening this gap.
The employees cite Amazon’s plans to spend billions building new data centers for AI, many of which will be in “drought-stressed regions, where they will consume scarce water,” or in locations that demand energy from coal or gas plants. Furthermore, the letter claims that AWS is actively “helping oil companies drill for more oil and gas.”
3. Enabling a Militarized Surveillance State
The open letter expresses concern that Amazon is contributing to a “more militarized surveillance state with fewer protections for ordinary people.” The employees note that Amazon, alongside other major tech companies, has lobbied to prevent state-level regulation of AI for the next decade.
Specific examples cited include:
- Providing cloud services to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Palantir, which the employees link to powering mass deportation efforts.
- Using AI to surveil both customers (such as Ring becoming “AI-first” and re-introducing a tool for police to request footage) and warehouse workers.
Employee Demands
To address these issues, the Amazon employees’ open letter calls for specific actions from company leadership:
The demands start with the statement, “No AI with dirty energy.”
The letter urges Amazon to implement a public plan that includes:
- Powering all data centers with “100% additional, local renewable energy, 24/7.”
- Ending custom AI solutions for oil & gas companies to drill more oil faster.
- Publishing a detailed, science-backed plan regarding these commitments.
