1,000+ Amazon Employees Sign Open Letter Warning of AI Dangers

More than 1,000 Amazon employees have reportedly signed an open letter addressed to CEO Andy Jassy and the company’s senior leadership team, expressing grave concerns about the tech giant’s aggressive rollout of AI and its potential consequences.

Fortune reports that the open letter has garnered signatures from a diverse range of Amazon employees, including everything from Whole Foods cashiers and IT support technicians. While the signees represent a tiny fraction of Amazon’s 1.53 million-strong workforce, their message is clear: they believe the company’s rapid AI development could have severe repercussions for democracy, jobs, and the environment. The letter is hosted by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ), a leftist climate doomer organization.

In the letter, employees claim that Amazon is prioritizing AI development over its climate goals, forcing them to use the technology while simultaneously working towards reducing its workforce in favor of AI investments. They also express concern that the company is contributing to the creation of “a more militarized surveillance state with fewer protections for ordinary people.”

The letter’s authors emphasize the urgency of their concerns, stating, “We believe that the all-costs-justified, warp-speed approach to AI development will do staggering damage to democracy, to our jobs, and to the Earth.” They point out that Amazon’s global carbon emissions have increased since 2019, despite its net-zero goal set for 2040.

In response to the letter, Amazon spokesperson Brad Glasser told Fortune that the claim the company has abandoned its climate commitments is “categorically false and ignores the facts.” Glasser highlighted Amazon’s commitment to powering its operations more sustainably, investing in carbon-free energy, and supporting advanced nuclear energy agreements.

However, the letter also sheds light on the impact of AI-driven restructuring on Amazon’s workforce. In October, the company announced plans to cut around 14,000 corporate jobs, with total corporate cuts potentially reaching up to 30,000 jobs – the largest reduction in the company’s history. Employees who have not yet been laid off report facing increased pressure to produce more in less time and to build “wasteful” AI tools even for projects that do not require them.

The letter also raises concerns about the potential misuse of Amazon’s Ring doorbell camera company, which is being transformed into an AI-first technology. Signees warn that reintroducing a tool for police to request footage from its feed “will be ceding an unbelievable amount of power into the hands of an increasingly authoritarian government and a few companies willing to abandon any principles they claim to have in the race for AI dominance.”

In light of these concerns, the letter’s signees demand that Amazon provide a public plan to power all data centers with renewable energy, allow employees to review AI’s use and need at an organizational level, and pledge that the company’s AI will not be used for violence, surveillance, or mass deportation.