News/Amazon
Slow Down: AI-written ADHD books on Amazon spark controversy
Amazon's marketplace is becoming a breeding ground for AI-generated books on sensitive health topics like ADHD, raising serious concerns about medical misinformation. These chatbot-authored works, which claim to offer expert advice but often contain dangerous recommendations, exemplify the growing challenge of regulating AI-generated content in digital marketplaces where profit incentives and ease of publication outweigh quality control and safety considerations. The big picture: Amazon is selling numerous AI-generated books that claim to offer expert ADHD management advice but appear to be entirely authored by chatbots like ChatGPT. Multiple titles targeting men with ADHD diagnoses were found on the platform, including...
read May 2, 2025Markets brace for jobs report impact as tech earnings disappoint
Wall Street investors are digesting mixed earnings from tech giants Apple and Amazon while bracing for a crucial jobs report that could provide insight into the health of the U.S. economy. Apple's Services division revenue missed expectations, with the company warning of $900 million in additional costs from tariffs, while Amazon issued cautious guidance citing "tariffs and trade policies" as concerns. These developments come as markets extended their winning streak, with the S&P 500 and Dow posting eight consecutive days of gains while the Nasdaq recovered all losses since President Trump's April tariff announcement. The big picture: Stock futures showed...
read Apr 26, 2025Amazon sees surge of AI-created books about Mark Carney ahead of Canada’s election
Generative AI is rapidly influencing political information ecosystems, as evidenced by a surge of AI-created books about Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney appearing on Amazon ahead of Canada's election. This proliferation of automated political content raises significant concerns about information integrity during democratic processes, especially as AI-generated materials become increasingly difficult to distinguish from human-created works. The trend represents a new frontier in how AI might be used to flood information channels during politically sensitive periods. The big picture: Amazon is experiencing a surge of AI-generated political books about Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, raising concerns about information manipulation during...
read Apr 25, 2025AI data center boom resurges as investors await crucial test
The AI data center market is showing signs of revival after a period of decline, with several companies in the sector experiencing strong stock performance. As tech giants like Amazon and Nvidia continue to signal robust demand for AI infrastructure, investors are watching closely for upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies to confirm whether this positive trend will continue. First-quarter earnings announcements from Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon will serve as crucial indicators of the health and future trajectory of AI data center investments. The big picture: Tech stocks are rebounding after a difficult period, with the Nasdaq outperforming...
read Apr 14, 2025Suck up this deal: Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum hits 50% off at Amazon, now $299 from $599
Amazon's substantial price cut on the Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum represents a significant opportunity for consumers seeking high-end automated cleaning technology at nearly half the standard retail price. The 50% discount on this advanced cleaning device showcases the increasingly competitive market for premium robotic vacuums, where sophisticated features once reserved for the highest price points are becoming more accessible to average consumers. The big picture: Amazon is offering the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum for $299.99 shipped, down from its regular $599 price tag, marking the second-lowest price ever recorded and the best deal of 2025. This...
read Apr 13, 2025Physical AI emerges as next frontier with trillion-dollar potential
Physical AI is emerging as the next frontier in technological evolution, moving beyond digital interfaces to integrate autonomous systems that can interact with the physical world. At SXSW 2025, industry leaders gathered to discuss this transition from AI infrastructure to widespread physical autonomy, highlighting applications across robotics, healthcare, and transportation that promise to generate trillions in economic value while raising important questions about governance and ethics. This shift represents a fundamental expansion of AI beyond datacenters into tangible systems that can manipulate our environment. The big picture: Physical AI represents the next evolution of artificial intelligence, encompassing autonomous vehicles, drones,...
read Apr 12, 2025Amazon’s new AI ‘Interests’ feature acts as a personal shopper for users
Amazon is expanding the artificial intelligence capabilities underpinning its e-commerce platform with a new feature called "Interests." This generative AI tool continuously monitors Amazon's inventory to proactively recommend products matching users' self-described passions and preferences. By transforming casual language into specific queries that traditional search engines can process, Amazon is attempting to recreate the experience of having a personal shopper who understands individual tastes and actively looks for relevant new products. The big picture: Amazon has launched "Interests," a generative AI feature that uses large language models to transform user preferences into ongoing, personalized product recommendations as new items become...
read Apr 10, 2025(Not) Just Between Us: Amazon is killing Echo’s local voice processing, forcing all commands to the cloud
Amazon is forcing a significant privacy change on Echo users by eliminating local voice processing capabilities, requiring all voice commands to be processed in the cloud starting March 28, 2025. This shift represents a growing tension between advanced AI features and user privacy controls, as companies increasingly centralize processing to support more sophisticated capabilities. The change affects even privacy-conscious users who had specifically opted to keep their voice commands processed locally on their devices. The big picture: Amazon is removing the "Do Not Send Voice Recordings" option from Echo devices, forcing all user voice commands to be processed in the...
read Apr 8, 2025Amazon forms dedicated agentic AI group as next “multi-billion business” for AWS
Amazon's new focus on agentic AI represents a significant strategic shift that could reshape how the company delivers automated services to customers. This development, led by key AWS executives, aims to create AI systems that can independently perform complex tasks without continuous user prompting—potentially transforming everything from business operations to consumer interactions with Amazon's ecosystem. The big picture: Amazon has established a dedicated group focused on agentic artificial intelligence under the leadership of AWS executive Swami Sivasubramanian, who will report directly to AWS CEO Matt Garman. According to an internal email viewed by Reuters, Garman believes "agentic AI has the...
read Apr 7, 2025Skip recap? Amazon’s new AI-powered Kindle Recaps helps readers catch up on book series
Amazon's new Kindle Recaps feature uses AI to help readers quickly catch up on book series, providing summaries similar to TV's "previously on" segments. This solution addresses common reading pain points like forgetting plot details or needing a refresher when returning to a series after a long break, expanding Amazon's growing portfolio of AI-powered entertainment tools that streamline content consumption experiences. The big picture: Amazon is rolling out "Recaps," an AI-generated feature for Kindle devices that provides short summaries of previous books in a series, helping readers catch up before starting a new installment. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that...
read Mar 28, 2025Amazon blocks 99% of counterfeit listings with AI-powered fraud prevention
Amazon's latest Brand Protection Report reveals significant advances in AI-powered fraud prevention, showcasing how the e-commerce giant has weaponized artificial intelligence to combat counterfeiting. The company's billion-dollar investment and strategic hiring of ML scientists and software developers has enabled them to block over 99% of suspected infringing listings proactively, demonstrating how AI has become central to maintaining marketplace integrity and consumer trust in digital commerce. The big picture: Amazon invested more than $1 billion last year and expanded its workforce with specialized AI talent to strengthen its fraud prevention capabilities. The company specifically hired machine learning scientists and software developers...
read Mar 25, 2025Amazon drops Microsoft’s AI-ready Surface Laptop by $300 in spring sale
Amazon's latest deal drops Microsoft's 2024 Surface Laptop by $300, offering a premium AI-ready computing experience at a more accessible price point. This combination of powerful hardware, extended battery life, and integrated AI features makes it an attractive upgrade option for professionals seeking both performance and portability as AI-enhanced computing becomes increasingly mainstream. The big picture: Microsoft's 2024 Surface Laptop has received a significant price cut in Amazon's Spring Sale, dropping from $1,599.99 to $1,298.99 for a model with premium specifications. Key details: The 13.8-inch touchscreen laptop combines portability with substantial computing power, featuring 16GB of RAM and a 1TB...
read Mar 25, 2025How to integrate ChatGPT with your Alexa devices in 5 simple steps
Amazon's integration of ChatGPT with Alexa devices offers a powerful way to combine the intelligence of OpenAI's chatbot with Amazon's widespread smart home ecosystem. This DIY integration brings enhanced conversational capabilities to the more than 100 million Alexa devices currently in use, allowing users to access ChatGPT's advanced features through familiar hardware without waiting for Amazon's official Alexa+ upgrade. 1. Required preparation resources You'll need an Amazon Developer Account to create and deploy the Alexa Skill that serves as the bridge between your devices and ChatGPT. An OpenAI API key is necessary to authenticate and access the ChatGPT functionality. The...
read Mar 14, 2025Europe adding 5 AI businesses per minute as adoption gap widens
It's like the European version of America's Clinton-era "digital divide," enterprise edition. Europe is witnessing an unprecedented acceleration in AI adoption, with five businesses implementing AI solutions every minute according to AWS's latest research. However, this rapid growth is creating a concerning divide between agile, AI-native startups and established enterprises struggling with implementation challenges. This emerging two-tier AI economy threatens Europe's competitiveness and requires urgent attention from business leaders and policymakers to ensure the benefits of AI are broadly distributed across the business landscape. The big picture: Europe's AI landscape is evolving rapidly with 42% of firms now regularly using...
read Mar 5, 2025Amazon Prime Video launches AI dubbing in English and Spanish for select content
In infrequent caption-based news, Amazon's Prime Video is introducing AI-assisted dubbing capabilities in English and Spanish, leveraging artificial intelligence to expand audience reach for its content catalog. This development represents another step in media companies adopting AI technology to enhance viewer experiences and potentially capture larger international audiences who prefer watching content in their native languages. The big picture: Prime Video will launch AI-based dubbing for 12 licensed movies and series starting immediately, focusing exclusively on content that doesn't already have existing dubbing options. Key details: The feature aims to serve Prime Video's global customer base, which exceeds 200 million...
read Feb 26, 2025Claude and Alexa partner up in Amazon move to bring voice to larger audience
The partnership between Anthropic and Amazon marks a major advancement in voice-enabled AI assistants as Claude's advanced language models are integrated into the new Alexa+ service. This collaboration aims to enhance Alexa's capabilities while maintaining strong safety measures through Claude's robust security features. Key partnership details: The integration of Claude models into Alexa+ represents a significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Anthropic and Amazon to deliver advanced AI capabilities to a broader audience. Anthropic's Chief Product Officer Mike Krieger led the year-long integration effort to fully leverage Claude's capabilities within Alexa+ The integration maintains Anthropic's commitment to trust and...
read Feb 26, 2025Amazon’s AI-powered Alexa+ has arrived — here are its most exciting new features
Amazon's Alexa is undergoing a significant transformation with the introduction of Alexa+, a more advanced version of the virtual assistant powered by large language models (LLMs). The new service, announced at Amazon's Devices and Services event, brings enhanced capabilities to Echo devices while maintaining free access for Prime members or costing $19.99 monthly for non-members. Core Feature Set: Alexa+ introduces significant upgrades to make the virtual assistant more capable and contextually aware across various use cases. The assistant now processes visual information through device cameras, enabling it to describe scenes and interpret visual content Enhanced browsing capabilities allow Alexa to...
read Feb 26, 2025Amazon unveils Alexa+ with powerful new AI capabilities
The AI Voice Assistant Evolution: Amazon has announced Alexa+, a major upgrade to its voice assistant platform that integrates advanced generative AI capabilities while remaining free for Prime members or $19.99 monthly for non-members. Core Feature Enhancements: The revamped Alexa+ combines natural conversation abilities with personalized learning and task execution capabilities, marking a significant shift from simple command-response interactions. The AI assistant now engages in ChatGPT-style natural conversations while maintaining context and user preferences over time A new "Alexicons" feature displays reactive icons on Echo displays to provide visual feedback during interactions The system can handle complex tasks from restaurant...
read Feb 26, 2025Amazon unveils AI features for Alexa at latest event as users continue to engage voice assistant with enthusiasm
The rapid evolution of voice assistants continues as Amazon hosts its 2025 AI Alexa event in New York City. Under the leadership of devices and services chief Panos Panay, Amazon has reported a 20% increase in Alexa engagement from 2023 to 2024, setting the stage for significant updates to its voice assistant platform. Key Announcement: Amazon officially launches Alexa Plus, a subscription-based version of its voice assistant powered by generative AI, aimed at reducing friction in smart home control and information retrieval. The new service represents Amazon's first major AI-powered upgrade since the company announced plans to "supercharge" Alexa in...
read Feb 24, 2025Shop Til You Bot: AI-powered retail agents reshape shopping experience
But can it point you to the dressing room?... Agentic AI represents a significant advancement beyond traditional AI systems, combining language processing capabilities with autonomous decision-making to perform complex tasks with minimal human oversight. This technology is particularly transformative for e-commerce, where digital infrastructure and data-driven operations provide an ideal environment for AI agent deployment. The fundamentals: Agentic AI systems build upon language models like ChatGPT but are distinguished by their ability to execute multi-step tasks autonomously across digital platforms. These AI agents can interact with websites, complete transactions, and manage complex business processes independently The technology extends beyond simple...
read Feb 17, 2025Amazon’s Alexa AI upgrade faces yet another delay, raising doubts
Alexa is not so new, but it aims to improve. Yet there are hurdles. Amazon has scheduled a February 26th event in New York to unveil a significantly upgraded version of its Alexa virtual assistant powered by advanced AI capabilities. However, recent reports suggest technical hurdles may force another delay in the actual release of these new features, following a previous postponement from 2024. Development status: Amazon's enhanced Alexa AI is reportedly struggling with accuracy issues during internal testing, potentially pushing its launch date to March 31, 2025. Internal tests reveal the AI is making too many mistakes when responding...
read Feb 13, 2025Cloud AI innovation expands beyond AWS, Azure and Google, to include IBM, Alibaba and others
The rise of artificial intelligence and specialized computing needs is reshaping how enterprises choose cloud providers. Athos Therapeutics' recent partnership with GPU-as-a-service provider Vultr demonstrates how organizations are looking beyond traditional cloud giants for AI infrastructure solutions. The big picture: While AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud continue to dominate the enterprise cloud market, second-tier providers are carving out valuable niches by offering specialized AI services and more cost-effective solutions. Vultr, IBM, Alibaba, Akamai, OVHcloud, Tencent, and Huawei are emerging as viable alternatives for organizations with specific AI workload requirements These providers differentiate themselves through specialized services, flexibility, and often...
read Feb 12, 2025AWS and stc Group partner to accelerate AI adoption in Saudi Kingdom
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly developing its digital infrastructure through strategic tech partnerships as part of its Vision 2030 economic transformation plan. Saudi telecommunications giant stc Group and Amazon Web Services have formed a partnership aimed at accelerating cloud adoption and AI implementation across the Middle East. Partnership Overview: stc Group has achieved AWS System Integrator Premier Partner status, marking a significant milestone in the collaboration between the two technology leaders. The partnership combines AWS's cloud infrastructure and generative AI services with stc Group's regional expertise Key focus areas include local content development, sustainability initiatives, and knowledge sharing...
read Feb 7, 2025Amazon is priming to invest $100B in AI infrastructure in 2025
Amazon plans to invest approximately $100 billion in AI infrastructure during 2025, with CEO Andy Jassy highlighting unprecedented opportunities in the AI space. Core announcement: Amazon's Q4 capital expenditure of $26.3 billion represents the expected quarterly spending rate for 2025, with the majority allocated to AI infrastructure for AWS. The investment supports AWS's AI business, which is growing at triple-digit rates year-over-year AWS generated Q4 net sales of $28.8 billion, a 19% increase from the previous year Operating income for AWS reached $10.6 billion in Q4, up from $7.2 billion in Q4 2023 Technical infrastructure details: Amazon is developing a...
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