AWS is\u00a0reportedly facing criticism over the limits it places on customers\u2019 use of\u00a0Anthropic\u2019s artificial intelligence (AI) models.
\nThe limits are \u201carbitrary\u201d and suggest the AWS\u00a0doesn\u2019t have enough server capacity or is reserving some of it for large customers, The Information said Monday (April 21) in a\u00a0report\u00a0that cited four AWS customers and two consulting firms who customers use AWS.
\nSome customers using AWS\u2019\u00a0Bedrock application programming interface (API) service have seen error messages with growing frequency over the past year and a half, according to the report. The report also quoted an AWS enterprise customer that said it hasn\u2019t experienced any constraints.
\nAWS Senior PR Manager, Emerging Tech\u00a0Kate Vorys told The Information that the company has tens of thousands of customers using Anthropic models through Bedrock and that the rate limits in Bedrock ensure customers can get \u201cfair access\u201d to AI models.
\n\u201cThe Information\u2019s suggestion that rate limits are a response to capacity constraints, or that Amazon Bedrock is not equipped to support customers\u2019 needs, is false,\u201d Vorys said, per the report.
\nAWS launched Bedrock in April 2023, saying the service gives customers access to foundation models developed by AWS and other companies so they can choose the model that it best suited to their needs and use it to build their own\u00a0generative AI application.
\nIn September 2023, Amazon said\u00a0it\u00a0planned to invest up to\u00a0$4 billion in Anthropic as part of a larger collaboration between the two companies. The partnership would see Anthropic use chips from AWS, make AWS its primary cloud provider for \u201cmission-critical workloads\u201d and offer AWS customers access to its future generations of its\u00a0foundation models.
\nIn November, Amazon and Anthropic announced an expanded partnership that included Amazon investing another\u00a0$4 billion in the\u00a0AI company \u2014 bringing its total investment in Anthropic to $8 billion \u2014 and Anthropic making AWS its primary training partner.
\nIn February, Amazon CEO\u00a0Andy Jassy described AI as \u201cthe biggest opportunity since cloud and probably the biggest technology shift and opportunity in business since the internet,\u201d adding that the company was doubling down on\u00a0AI investments with a\u00a0$26 billion capital expenditure for Q4 2024 dedicated to developing AI capabilities for AWS and an expectation to keep that level of spending consistent throughout 2025.
\nThe post Report: Amazon Says AI Rate Limits Are For \u2018Fair Access,\u2019 Not Capacity Constraints appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "AWS is\u00a0reportedly facing criticism over the limits it places on customers\u2019 use of\u00a0Anthropic\u2019s artificial intelligence (AI) models.\nThe limits are \u201carbitrary\u201d and suggest the AWS\u00a0doesn\u2019t have enough server capacity or is reserving some of it for large customers, The Information said Monday (April 21) in a\u00a0report\u00a0that cited four AWS customers and two consulting firms who customers use AWS.\nSome customers using AWS\u2019\u00a0Bedrock application programming interface (API) service have seen error messages with growing frequency over the past year and a half, according to the report. The report also quoted an AWS enterprise customer that said it hasn\u2019t experienced any constraints.\nAWS Senior PR Manager, Emerging Tech\u00a0Kate Vorys told The Information that the company has tens of thousands of customers using Anthropic models through Bedrock and that the rate limits in Bedrock ensure customers can get \u201cfair access\u201d to AI models.\n\u201cThe Information\u2019s suggestion that rate limits are a response to capacity constraints, or that Amazon Bedrock is not equipped to support customers\u2019 needs, is false,\u201d Vorys said, per the report.\nAWS launched Bedrock in April 2023, saying the service gives customers access to foundation models developed by AWS and other companies so they can choose the model that it best suited to their needs and use it to build their own\u00a0generative AI application.\nIn September 2023, Amazon said\u00a0it\u00a0planned to invest up to\u00a0$4 billion in Anthropic as part of a larger collaboration between the two companies. The partnership would see Anthropic use chips from AWS, make AWS its primary cloud provider for \u201cmission-critical workloads\u201d and offer AWS customers access to its future generations of its\u00a0foundation models.\nIn November, Amazon and Anthropic announced an expanded partnership that included Amazon investing another\u00a0$4 billion in the\u00a0AI company \u2014 bringing its total investment in Anthropic to $8 billion \u2014 and Anthropic making AWS its primary training partner.\nIn February, Amazon CEO\u00a0Andy Jassy described AI as \u201cthe biggest opportunity since cloud and probably the biggest technology shift and opportunity in business since the internet,\u201d adding that the company was doubling down on\u00a0AI investments with a\u00a0$26 billion capital expenditure for Q4 2024 dedicated to developing AI capabilities for AWS and an expectation to keep that level of spending consistent throughout 2025.\nThe post Report: Amazon Says AI Rate Limits Are For \u2018Fair Access,\u2019 Not Capacity Constraints appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-21T11:54:32-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-21T11:54:32-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AWS-2.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Amazon", "Amazon Web Services", "Anthropic", "artificial intelligence", "AWS", "AWS Bedrock", "B2B", "Bedrock", "News", "partnerships", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2682362", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-consumers-likely-to-pay-cost-of-tariffs/", "title": "Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: Consumers Likely to Pay Cost of Tariffs", "content_html": "Amazon\u2019s third-party sellers are likely to try to pass the cost of tariffs on to consumers, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said Thursday (April 10).
\nInterviewed on CNBC, which shared the video on its website, Jassy said sellers may not have the margin to absorb the tariffs themselves.
\n\u201cSo, I think they\u2019ll try and pass the cost on,\u201d Jassy said.
\nAsked about reports that Amazon has cut back on its purchases from China, Jassy said the company is doing everything it can to keep prices as low as possible for its customers.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve done some strategic forward inventory buys, to get as many items as makes sense for customers at lower prices,\u201d Jassy said. \u201cThere are some cases where we have deals that were negotiated that weren\u2019t done, where we\u2019ll renegotiate terms to make it easier for customers to have lower prices. So, we\u2019re going to do everything we can to keep prices as low as possible.\u201d
\nBecause the tariffs are still new and are in flux, Amazon hasn\u2019t seen any meaningful change in consumer behavior, Jassy said. Customers have not stopped buying, and in some cases may be buying ahead to avoid tariffs, but it\u2019s hard to tell yet.
\nIn its AWS cloud computing business, the company purchases parts from all over the world, and that business \u201cvery significantly\u201d diversified its supply chain, starting five years ago, Jassy said.
\n\u201cWe have components from everywhere, it\u2019s not just one country, but we have such high demand right now for AWS and AI, growth is so significant that we don\u2019t see any attenuation in demand and we\u2019re going to keep building,\u201d Jassy said.
\nIt was reported Wednesday (April 9) that Amazon cancelled orders from multiple vendors in China and other Asian countries after President Donald Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement that the United States planned to levy tariffs on goods from more than 180 countries.
\nIt was also reported Wednesday that China is home to roughly half of Amazon merchants and that because of the new tariffs, these sellers are faced with a choice between hiking their prices or leaving the platform.
\nAmong five sellers interviewed by Reuters, three said they would look at hiking prices for their exports to the U.S., while two planned to exit the market.
\nThe post Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: Consumers Likely to Pay Cost of Tariffs appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon\u2019s third-party sellers are likely to try to pass the cost of tariffs on to consumers, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said Thursday (April 10).\nInterviewed on CNBC, which shared the video on its website, Jassy said sellers may not have the margin to absorb the tariffs themselves.\n\u201cSo, I think they\u2019ll try and pass the cost on,\u201d Jassy said.\nAsked about reports that Amazon has cut back on its purchases from China, Jassy said the company is doing everything it can to keep prices as low as possible for its customers.\n\u201cWe\u2019ve done some strategic forward inventory buys, to get as many items as makes sense for customers at lower prices,\u201d Jassy said. \u201cThere are some cases where we have deals that were negotiated that weren\u2019t done, where we\u2019ll renegotiate terms to make it easier for customers to have lower prices. So, we\u2019re going to do everything we can to keep prices as low as possible.\u201d\nBecause the tariffs are still new and are in flux, Amazon hasn\u2019t seen any meaningful change in consumer behavior, Jassy said. Customers have not stopped buying, and in some cases may be buying ahead to avoid tariffs, but it\u2019s hard to tell yet.\nIn its AWS cloud computing business, the company purchases parts from all over the world, and that business \u201cvery significantly\u201d diversified its supply chain, starting five years ago, Jassy said.\n\u201cWe have components from everywhere, it\u2019s not just one country, but we have such high demand right now for AWS and AI, growth is so significant that we don\u2019t see any attenuation in demand and we\u2019re going to keep building,\u201d Jassy said.\nIt was reported Wednesday (April 9) that Amazon cancelled orders from multiple vendors in China and other Asian countries after President Donald Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement that the United States planned to levy tariffs on goods from more than 180 countries.\nIt was also reported Wednesday that China is home to roughly half of Amazon merchants and that because of the new tariffs, these sellers are faced with a choice between hiking their prices or leaving the platform.\nAmong five sellers interviewed by Reuters, three said they would look at hiking prices for their exports to the U.S., while two planned to exit the market.\nThe post Amazon CEO Andy Jassy: Consumers Likely to Pay Cost of Tariffs appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-10T20:50:32-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-10T20:50:32-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Amazon-tariffs.jpg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "Andy Jassy", "Donald Trump", "ecommerce", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Retail", "tariffs", "third party sellers", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2681721", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-reportedly-tests-using-delivery-drivers-for-emergency-response/", "title": "Amazon Reportedly Tests Using Delivery Drivers for Emergency Response", "content_html": "Amazon\u00a0has reportedly experimented with using its delivery drivers as emergency responders.
\nThe tech giant outfitted delivery vans in Europe with defibrillators to see whether those drivers could provide faster aid to heart attack victims, Bloomberg News\u00a0reported\u00a0Thursday (April 10), citing company documents.
\nAccording to the report, Amazon piloted the program, known as Project Pulse, in Amsterdam in 2023 before expanding it to London and the Italian city of Bologna.
\nThe company confirmed that more than 100 drivers took part in the experiment, in which they would get alerts from citizen responder apps and arrive on site, where emergency services were already at work on the victims.
\nThe drivers had been trained to use automatic defibrillator devices as part of a first aid course. They also enrolled in local citizen responder networks which alerted them to suspected cases of cardiac arrest nearby.
\nThe experiment lasted several months, and Amazon is \u201cevaluating the feedback and exploring additional opportunities for future programs,\u201d said company spokesperson\u00a0Anneliese Hellwig-Schuster.
\nThe most immediate goal of the program, the company documents said, was to give everyone \u2014 Amazon customer or not \u2014 a better chance of surviving a heart attack, as Amazon vans are typically closer than professional first responders in many residential communities.
\nHowever, the company also recognized a PR benefit to the program, as Amazon\u2019s drivers have been blamed for congestion, pollution and traffic accidents.
\nThe effort is happening at a time when Amazon is using its consumer base and technological reach to become a key competitor to chief rival\u00a0Walmart\u00a0in the\u00a0healthcare space, as PYMNTS wrote earlier this year.
\n\u201cWith strategic partnerships, including those with\u00a0Teladoc\u00a0and\u00a0mental health providers, Amazon is expanding its healthcare offerings such as virtual care and chronic condition management,\u201d that report said. \u201cBy integrating these services into its larger ecosystem, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its Health Benefits Connector, Amazon seeks to redefine healthcare access and challenge Walmart\u2019s established position in the industry.\u201d
\nMeanwhile, AWS partnered with\u00a0General Catalyst\u00a0to develop\u00a0artificial intelligence (AI)-driven\u00a0healthcare solutions, centered around personalized care, diagnostics and improving patient outcomes to allow for more accessible healthcare.
\n\u201cAmazon\u2019s 2018 acquisition of PillPack marked its strategic move into disrupting traditional pharmacy services by offering personalized, tech-enabled care,\u201d PYMNTS added. \u201cThe company has since\u00a0launched Amazon Care\u00a0and Amazon Pharmacy, positioning itself to integrate healthcare services into its retail and technology infrastructure.\u201d
\nThe post Amazon Reportedly Tests Using Delivery Drivers for Emergency Response appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon\u00a0has reportedly experimented with using its delivery drivers as emergency responders.\nThe tech giant outfitted delivery vans in Europe with defibrillators to see whether those drivers could provide faster aid to heart attack victims, Bloomberg News\u00a0reported\u00a0Thursday (April 10), citing company documents.\nAccording to the report, Amazon piloted the program, known as Project Pulse, in Amsterdam in 2023 before expanding it to London and the Italian city of Bologna.\nThe company confirmed that more than 100 drivers took part in the experiment, in which they would get alerts from citizen responder apps and arrive on site, where emergency services were already at work on the victims.\nThe drivers had been trained to use automatic defibrillator devices as part of a first aid course. They also enrolled in local citizen responder networks which alerted them to suspected cases of cardiac arrest nearby.\nThe experiment lasted several months, and Amazon is \u201cevaluating the feedback and exploring additional opportunities for future programs,\u201d said company spokesperson\u00a0Anneliese Hellwig-Schuster.\nThe most immediate goal of the program, the company documents said, was to give everyone \u2014 Amazon customer or not \u2014 a better chance of surviving a heart attack, as Amazon vans are typically closer than professional first responders in many residential communities.\nHowever, the company also recognized a PR benefit to the program, as Amazon\u2019s drivers have been blamed for congestion, pollution and traffic accidents.\nThe effort is happening at a time when Amazon is using its consumer base and technological reach to become a key competitor to chief rival\u00a0Walmart\u00a0in the\u00a0healthcare space, as PYMNTS wrote earlier this year.\n\u201cWith strategic partnerships, including those with\u00a0Teladoc\u00a0and\u00a0mental health providers, Amazon is expanding its healthcare offerings such as virtual care and chronic condition management,\u201d that report said. \u201cBy integrating these services into its larger ecosystem, including Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its Health Benefits Connector, Amazon seeks to redefine healthcare access and challenge Walmart\u2019s established position in the industry.\u201d\nMeanwhile, AWS partnered with\u00a0General Catalyst\u00a0to develop\u00a0artificial intelligence (AI)-driven\u00a0healthcare solutions, centered around personalized care, diagnostics and improving patient outcomes to allow for more accessible healthcare.\n\u201cAmazon\u2019s 2018 acquisition of PillPack marked its strategic move into disrupting traditional pharmacy services by offering personalized, tech-enabled care,\u201d PYMNTS added. \u201cThe company has since\u00a0launched Amazon Care\u00a0and Amazon Pharmacy, positioning itself to integrate healthcare services into its retail and technology infrastructure.\u201d\nThe post Amazon Reportedly Tests Using Delivery Drivers for Emergency Response appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-10T08:50:11-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-10T08:50:11-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Amazon-delivery-drivers-emergency.png", "tags": [ "Amazon", "Amazon delivery", "Amazon Health", "delivery drivers", "ecommerce", "emergency responders", "Healthcare", "News", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2680931", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-cancels-orders-from-multiple-vendors-after-tariffs-announcement/", "title": "Report: Amazon Cancels Orders From \u2018Multiple Vendors\u2019 After Tariffs Announcement", "content_html": "Amazon reportedly canceled orders from multiple vendors in China and other Asian countries after President Donald Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement that the United States planned to levy tariffs on goods from more than 180 countries.
\nThe company\u2019s cancellations of the orders came without warning and didn\u2019t mention tariffs, but their timing suggests they came in response to the tariffs, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (April 9), citing unnamed sources and a document it had seen.
\nIt\u2019s not known how widespread Amazon\u2019s cancellations of orders are, according to the report. The report cited one vendor who said the company canceled a $500,000 order, and an eCommerce consultant who said Amazon canceled orders from \u201cseveral\u201d clients.
\nAmazon did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comments.
\nAbout 40% of the products sold on the company\u2019s website are purchased by Amazon directly from vendors, while the remainder are listed on its site by third-party sellers, according to the report.
\nTariffs were one of several factors that led Amazon and rival retailer Walmart to lower their first-quarter outlooks in February, PYMNTS reported at the time. The companies said other factors contributing to the weak guidance included inflation, weak consumer demand, foreign exchange challenges and a shift in consumer focus toward essentials.
\nOn Wednesday, Walmart retracted its first-quarter operating income outlook due in part to tariff-related concerns. The company said in a press release that it wants to \u201cmaintain flexibility to invest in price as tariffs are implemented.\u201d
\nThe announcement came on the same day that Trump\u2019s tariffs went into effect, impacting some of the nations that Walmart relies on to source its goods.
\nIt was reported April 2 that Walmart was pushing suppliers in China to reduce prices to mitigate new tariffs. The retailer reportedly requested that suppliers lower their prices by up to 10% for each round of tariffs.
\nExecutives at Levi Strauss & Co. said during a Monday (April 7) earnings call that the apparel company has dealt with tariffs by importing to the U.S. most of the product it needs for the spring and early summer before the tariffs took effect, and by using its \u201cagile global supply chain\u201d and deep vendor relationships.
\nThe post Report: Amazon Cancels Orders From \u2018Multiple Vendors\u2019 After Tariffs Announcement appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon reportedly canceled orders from multiple vendors in China and other Asian countries after President Donald Trump\u2019s April 2 announcement that the United States planned to levy tariffs on goods from more than 180 countries.\nThe company\u2019s cancellations of the orders came without warning and didn\u2019t mention tariffs, but their timing suggests they came in response to the tariffs, Bloomberg reported Wednesday (April 9), citing unnamed sources and a document it had seen.\nIt\u2019s not known how widespread Amazon\u2019s cancellations of orders are, according to the report. The report cited one vendor who said the company canceled a $500,000 order, and an eCommerce consultant who said Amazon canceled orders from \u201cseveral\u201d clients.\nAmazon did not immediately reply to PYMNTS\u2019 request for comments.\nAbout 40% of the products sold on the company\u2019s website are purchased by Amazon directly from vendors, while the remainder are listed on its site by third-party sellers, according to the report.\nTariffs were one of several factors that led Amazon and rival retailer Walmart to lower their first-quarter outlooks in February, PYMNTS reported at the time. The companies said other factors contributing to the weak guidance included inflation, weak consumer demand, foreign exchange challenges and a shift in consumer focus toward essentials.\nOn Wednesday, Walmart retracted its first-quarter operating income outlook due in part to tariff-related concerns. The company said in a press release that it wants to \u201cmaintain flexibility to invest in price as tariffs are implemented.\u201d\nThe announcement came on the same day that Trump\u2019s tariffs went into effect, impacting some of the nations that Walmart relies on to source its goods.\nIt was reported April 2 that Walmart was pushing suppliers in China to reduce prices to mitigate new tariffs. The retailer reportedly requested that suppliers lower their prices by up to 10% for each round of tariffs.\nExecutives at Levi Strauss & Co. said during a Monday (April 7) earnings call that the apparel company has dealt with tariffs by importing to the U.S. most of the product it needs for the spring and early summer before the tariffs took effect, and by using its \u201cagile global supply chain\u201d and deep vendor relationships.\nThe post Report: Amazon Cancels Orders From \u2018Multiple Vendors\u2019 After Tariffs Announcement appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-04-09T12:38:36-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-04-09T20:44:27-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Amazon.jpg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "B2B", "B2B Payments", "china", "commercial payments", "ecommerce", "economy", "international", "News", "PYMNTS News", "Retail", "tariffs", "taxes", "What's Hot", "What's Hot In B2B" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2519041", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-alexa-fund-expands-scope-of-investments-to-include-ai/", "title": "Amazon Alexa Fund Expands Scope of Investments to Include AI", "content_html": "The Amazon Alexa Fund has expanded the scope of its investments to include a variety of developments in artificial intelligence (AI).
\nThe fund, which was launched in 2015 to provide venture capital funding for voice and smart devices, has also been investing in startups focused on AI-enabled hardware, generative media, smart agents, AI architectures and other projects in the AI field, according to a Wednesday (March 26) blog post from Amazon.
\nAmazon Alexa Fund Director Paul Bernard said in the post that Amazon and Alexa have already been at the forefront of AI, that the company sees opportunities for AI to make customers\u2019 lives better, and that fund has expanded its focus without changing its commitment to advance the state of the art.
\n\u201cSome areas we think are really exciting include next-generation assistant experiences with autonomous agents that have specialized expertise and deeper personalization; on-the-go experiences utilizing new sensors and innovative devices beyond smartphone capabilities; emerging AI architectures that will deliver improvements in cost, speed and accuracy; AI-powered media that enable new-to-world experiences across media types and interaction modes; and embedded AI technologies, which have the potential to change how machines interact with the physical world through multimodal perception, advanced reasoning systems and new sensors,\u201d Bernard said in the post.
\nFour of the Amazon Alexa Fund\u2019s latest investments include NinjaTech AI, which is working on an agentic generative AI assistant; Hedra, which is developing tools for producing video, images and audio; Ario, which has a personal AI assistant designed for parents; and HeyBoss, which has built an AI agent that can design and develop websites and apps, according to the post.
\n\u201cIn addition to equity capital, we build a close working relationship between portfolio companies and the many Amazon businesses and technologies that could help advance their vision,\u201d Bernard said in the post.
\nAmazon has been deploying AI throughout its own operations.
\nThe company said Wednesday that it has been adding AI-powered tools to identify counterfeit items and to help brands and sellers protect their products globally.
\nAmazon also plans to invest over $100 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, with the majority directed toward enhancing AI capabilities in its AWS cloud division.
\nThe post Amazon Alexa Fund Expands Scope of Investments to Include AI appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Amazon Alexa Fund has expanded the scope of its investments to include a variety of developments in artificial intelligence (AI).\nThe fund, which was launched in 2015 to provide venture capital funding for voice and smart devices, has also been investing in startups focused on AI-enabled hardware, generative media, smart agents, AI architectures and other projects in the AI field, according to a Wednesday (March 26) blog post from Amazon.\nAmazon Alexa Fund Director Paul Bernard said in the post that Amazon and Alexa have already been at the forefront of AI, that the company sees opportunities for AI to make customers\u2019 lives better, and that fund has expanded its focus without changing its commitment to advance the state of the art.\n\u201cSome areas we think are really exciting include next-generation assistant experiences with autonomous agents that have specialized expertise and deeper personalization; on-the-go experiences utilizing new sensors and innovative devices beyond smartphone capabilities; emerging AI architectures that will deliver improvements in cost, speed and accuracy; AI-powered media that enable new-to-world experiences across media types and interaction modes; and embedded AI technologies, which have the potential to change how machines interact with the physical world through multimodal perception, advanced reasoning systems and new sensors,\u201d Bernard said in the post.\nFour of the Amazon Alexa Fund\u2019s latest investments include NinjaTech AI, which is working on an agentic generative AI assistant; Hedra, which is developing tools for producing video, images and audio; Ario, which has a personal AI assistant designed for parents; and HeyBoss, which has built an AI agent that can design and develop websites and apps, according to the post.\n\u201cIn addition to equity capital, we build a close working relationship between portfolio companies and the many Amazon businesses and technologies that could help advance their vision,\u201d Bernard said in the post.\nAmazon has been deploying AI throughout its own operations.\nThe company said Wednesday that it has been adding AI-powered tools to identify counterfeit items and to help brands and sellers protect their products globally.\nAmazon also plans to invest over $100 billion in capital expenditures in 2025, with the majority directed toward enhancing AI capabilities in its AWS cloud division.\nThe post Amazon Alexa Fund Expands Scope of Investments to Include AI appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-26T17:12:44-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-26T17:12:44-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Amazon-Alexa-Fund-.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Amazon", "Amazon Alexa Fund", "Ario", "artificial intelligence", "Hedra", "HeyBoss", "News", "NinjaTech AI", "Paul Bernard", "PYMNTS News", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2518296", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-seized-more-than-15-million-counterfeit-products-in-2024/", "title": "Amazon Seized More Than 15 Million Counterfeit Products in 2024", "content_html": "Amazon continued its fight against counterfeit goods in 2024 by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, seeing that counterfeiters are held liable and increasing brands\u2019 use of its brand protection features.
\nThe company\u2019s AI tools that proactively block infringements stopped more than 99% of suspected infringements before a brand had to find and report them, Amazon told PYMNTS in an email sharing highlights from its fifth Brand Protection Report.
\nThese tools have also enabled the company to reduce by 35% the number of valid notices of infringement submitted by brands, compared to 2020, even as the number of products available in its store has continued to grow.
\nTo hold counterfeiters accountable, Amazon has worked with brands and law enforcement on civil litigation and criminal referrals to law enforcement organizations, according to the email. Since the launch of its Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020, Amazon has taken those actions against more than 24,000 bad actors.
\nIn 2024, Amazon also identified, seized and disposed of more than 15 million counterfeit products.
\nThe company has also seen increased use of its brand protection features, per the email. These includes its anti-counterfeiting tool called Project Zero, which has been used by 35,000 brands since its launch in 2019, and its Transparency program, which has enrolled more than 88,000 brands and verified as genuine more than 2.5 billion product units.
\n\u201cAdditionally, throughout 2024 Amazon helped brands and sellers protect their products globally with new AI-powered tools and a wide expansion of our brand protection programs to make it more difficult for bad actors to evade our detection systems, enabling us to scan our store with more nuance and understanding of context rather than just literal matches,\u201d Amazon said in the email.
\nAmazon is not the only eCommerce marketplace cracking down on counterfeit products, PYMNTS reported in March 2024. A Michigan State University study released in 2023 found that nearly 7 in 10 consumers had unknowingly bought counterfeit items via eCommerce channels at least once in the previous year.
\nWhen Amazon launched its Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020, the company said it brought together former federal prosecutors, experienced investigators and data analysts in hopes of ensuring no counterfeit item makes it onto the eCommerce site in the first place.
\nThe company introduced Project Zero in 2019 to detect counterfeit products by deploying advanced technology, machine learning and the knowledge brands have of their own intellectual property.
\nThe civil litigation Amazon pursued in 2024 included a lawsuit against companies and individuals the company alleged obtained invalid trademarks or filed fake complaints to have Amazon remove their competitors from its store.
\nThe post Amazon Seized More Than 15 Million Counterfeit Products in 2024 appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon continued its fight against counterfeit goods in 2024 by using artificial intelligence (AI) tools, seeing that counterfeiters are held liable and increasing brands\u2019 use of its brand protection features.\nThe company\u2019s AI tools that proactively block infringements stopped more than 99% of suspected infringements before a brand had to find and report them, Amazon told PYMNTS in an email sharing highlights from its fifth Brand Protection Report.\nThese tools have also enabled the company to reduce by 35% the number of valid notices of infringement submitted by brands, compared to 2020, even as the number of products available in its store has continued to grow.\nTo hold counterfeiters accountable, Amazon has worked with brands and law enforcement on civil litigation and criminal referrals to law enforcement organizations, according to the email. Since the launch of its Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020, Amazon has taken those actions against more than 24,000 bad actors.\nIn 2024, Amazon also identified, seized and disposed of more than 15 million counterfeit products.\nThe company has also seen increased use of its brand protection features, per the email. These includes its anti-counterfeiting tool called Project Zero, which has been used by 35,000 brands since its launch in 2019, and its Transparency program, which has enrolled more than 88,000 brands and verified as genuine more than 2.5 billion product units.\n\u201cAdditionally, throughout 2024 Amazon helped brands and sellers protect their products globally with new AI-powered tools and a wide expansion of our brand protection programs to make it more difficult for bad actors to evade our detection systems, enabling us to scan our store with more nuance and understanding of context rather than just literal matches,\u201d Amazon said in the email.\nAmazon is not the only eCommerce marketplace cracking down on counterfeit products, PYMNTS reported in March 2024. A Michigan State University study released in 2023 found that nearly 7 in 10 consumers had unknowingly bought counterfeit items via eCommerce channels at least once in the previous year.\nWhen Amazon launched its Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020, the company said it brought together former federal prosecutors, experienced investigators and data analysts in hopes of ensuring no counterfeit item makes it onto the eCommerce site in the first place.\nThe company introduced Project Zero in 2019 to detect counterfeit products by deploying advanced technology, machine learning and the knowledge brands have of their own intellectual property.\nThe civil litigation Amazon pursued in 2024 included a lawsuit against companies and individuals the company alleged obtained invalid trademarks or filed fake complaints to have Amazon remove their competitors from its store.\nThe post Amazon Seized More Than 15 Million Counterfeit Products in 2024 appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-26T00:01:17-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-25T21:36:45-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Amazon-counterfeit-1.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Amazon", "artificial intelligence", "Counterfeit Products", "ecommerce", "News", "Project Zero", "PYMNTS News", "Retail", "transparency", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2516582", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-suit-challenges-product-safety-watchdogs-constitutionality/", "title": "Amazon Suit Challenges Product Safety Watchdog\u2019s Constitutionality", "content_html": "Amazon has filed a lawsuit in response to a regulator\u2019s ruling governing product recalls.
\nThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in January found that Amazon was responsible for the recalls of items sold on its site. The commission had found last year that Amazon was a \u201cdistributor\u201d of faulty products.
\nBut as The Associated Press (AP) reported, Amazon\u2019s suit \u2014 filed March 14 \u2014 argues that it acts as a \u201cthird-party logistics provider\u201d and thus should not be held liable for recalls of products made and sold by those third parties.
\nThe CPSC filed a complaint against Amazon in 2021, alleging the company was\u00a0 distributing unsafe third-party products through its logistics network.
\nThe company countered by saying the commission had no legal standing to bring the suit, arguing in a court filing that federal law does not allow the CPSC to sue a company \u201cif it is acting as a third-party logistics provider rather than a distributor.\u201d
\nIn its new suit, Amazon said it had issued recall notices and some refunds shortly after the CPSC raised safety concerns years ago. The suit also argues the regulator is an \u201cunconstitutionally structured agency\u201d that overstepped its authority with its January directive.
\n\u201cThe remedies ordered by the CPSC are largely duplicative of the steps we took several years ago to protect customers, which are the same steps we take whenever we learn about unsafe products,\u201d Amazon said in a statement sent to the AP, declining to comment further.
\nThe suit comes one month after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it would no longer support the independent status of the CPSC and two other regulators: the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
\nThe DOJ is challenging a Supreme Court precedent set nearly 90 years ago, giving certain independent agency commissioners job security, so that they can only be removed for cause rather than at the president\u2019s discretion. The department plans to ask the high court to overturn that ruling.
\nHowever, the DOJ now intends to ask the Supreme Court to overturn that ruling as it applies to regulators who exercise \u201csubstantial executive power,\u201d Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote in a letter to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
\nIn other Amazon news, PYMNTS wrote last week about efforts by the company \u2014 and rival Walmart \u2014 to employ artificial intelligence (AI).
\n\u201cAmazon is focusing on customer engagement and automation while Walmart leverages AI for merchant efficiency and product sourcing,\u201d that report said. \u201cMeanwhile, Amazon\u2019s privacy changes in its smart device lineup underscore the broader debate surrounding consumer data rights in an AI-driven world.\u201d
\n\u00a0
\nThe post Amazon Suit Challenges Product Safety Watchdog’s Constitutionality appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon has filed a lawsuit in response to a regulator\u2019s ruling governing product recalls.\nThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in January found that Amazon was responsible for the recalls of items sold on its site. The commission had found last year that Amazon was a \u201cdistributor\u201d of faulty products.\nBut as The Associated Press (AP) reported, Amazon\u2019s suit \u2014 filed March 14 \u2014 argues that it acts as a \u201cthird-party logistics provider\u201d and thus should not be held liable for recalls of products made and sold by those third parties.\nThe CPSC filed a complaint against Amazon in 2021, alleging the company was\u00a0 distributing unsafe third-party products through its logistics network.\nThe company countered by saying the commission had no legal standing to bring the suit, arguing in a court filing that federal law does not allow the CPSC to sue a company \u201cif it is acting as a third-party logistics provider rather than a distributor.\u201d\nIn its new suit, Amazon said it had issued recall notices and some refunds shortly after the CPSC raised safety concerns years ago. The suit also argues the regulator is an \u201cunconstitutionally structured agency\u201d that overstepped its authority with its January directive.\n\u201cThe remedies ordered by the CPSC are largely duplicative of the steps we took several years ago to protect customers, which are the same steps we take whenever we learn about unsafe products,\u201d Amazon said in a statement sent to the AP, declining to comment further.\nThe suit comes one month after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said it would no longer support the independent status of the CPSC and two other regulators: the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).\nThe DOJ is challenging a Supreme Court precedent set nearly 90 years ago, giving certain independent agency commissioners job security, so that they can only be removed for cause rather than at the president\u2019s discretion. The department plans to ask the high court to overturn that ruling.\nHowever, the DOJ now intends to ask the Supreme Court to overturn that ruling as it applies to regulators who exercise \u201csubstantial executive power,\u201d Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote in a letter to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., of the Senate Judiciary Committee.\nIn other Amazon news, PYMNTS wrote last week about efforts by the company \u2014 and rival Walmart \u2014 to employ artificial intelligence (AI).\n\u201cAmazon is focusing on customer engagement and automation while Walmart leverages AI for merchant efficiency and product sourcing,\u201d that report said. \u201cMeanwhile, Amazon\u2019s privacy changes in its smart device lineup underscore the broader debate surrounding consumer data rights in an AI-driven world.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe post Amazon Suit Challenges Product Safety Watchdog’s Constitutionality appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-23T20:42:33-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-23T20:48:33-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Amazon-third-party.jpg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "Consumer Product Safety Commission", "CPSC", "ecommerce", "News", "online marketplace", "product recalls", "PYMNTS News", "regulations", "Retail", "third-party sales", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2514724", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-autos-to-help-dealers-sell-used-cars/", "title": "Amazon Autos to Help Dealers Sell Used Cars", "content_html": "Amazon\u00a0plans to start helping dealers sell used cars as well as new ones, according to\u00a0Fan Jin, director and general manager of\u00a0Amazon Autos.
\nSpeaking on the Tuesday (March 18) episode of the Automotive News Daily Drive\u00a0podcast, Jin said that adding used inventory for dealers is \u201creally our next biggest milestone here.\u201d
\nAmazon wants to make sure dealers can sell as much of their inventory as they want through Amazon Autos channel, Jin said.
\nAsked how the company plans to compete against the existing sites on which dealers can list their used vehicles, Jin said Amazon sees its offering as a way for dealers to have \u201ca fully online eCommerce channel,\u201d as opposed to a strictly lead generation site.
\n\u201cWe think that\u2019s valuable because demographic customer data tells us that more and more customers are very much comfortable with a fully online car transaction, even though that\u2019s a very big purchase,\u201d Jin said. \u201cCustomers want an omnichannel experience. It takes folks a while to make a decision, so they may start online, they\u2019re going to go to the dealer maybe to look and have a test drive, they\u2019ll come back, think about it and then finish the purchase online. We see that a lot.\u201d
\nAmazon aims to enable the online transaction\u00a0and make it very smooth, Jin said.
\nThe company began rolling out the Amazon Autos offering in December, saying in a press release that it was partnering with\u00a0automotive dealers and brands to bring the Amazon experience to the car-buying process.
\nAmazon launched this digital shopping experience in partnership with Hyundai, enabling shoppers in 48 U.S. cities to buy new Hyundai vehicles from local participating dealers on Amazon.
\nThe company said at the time that Amazon Autos planned to add more Hyundai dealers as well as other manufacturers, brands and cities.
\nAmazon Autos allows car shoppers to browse, order, finance\u00a0and schedule pickup of the vehicle from their local participating dealer, all within the familiar Amazon store. They can also get an instant valuation and trade for their existing vehicle.
\nFor dealers, this offering provides a new sales\u00a0channel and a way to streamline the steps involved in the process, Amazon said.
\nThe post Amazon Autos to Help Dealers Sell Used Cars appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon\u00a0plans to start helping dealers sell used cars as well as new ones, according to\u00a0Fan Jin, director and general manager of\u00a0Amazon Autos.\nSpeaking on the Tuesday (March 18) episode of the Automotive News Daily Drive\u00a0podcast, Jin said that adding used inventory for dealers is \u201creally our next biggest milestone here.\u201d\nAmazon wants to make sure dealers can sell as much of their inventory as they want through Amazon Autos channel, Jin said.\nAsked how the company plans to compete against the existing sites on which dealers can list their used vehicles, Jin said Amazon sees its offering as a way for dealers to have \u201ca fully online eCommerce channel,\u201d as opposed to a strictly lead generation site.\n\u201cWe think that\u2019s valuable because demographic customer data tells us that more and more customers are very much comfortable with a fully online car transaction, even though that\u2019s a very big purchase,\u201d Jin said. \u201cCustomers want an omnichannel experience. It takes folks a while to make a decision, so they may start online, they\u2019re going to go to the dealer maybe to look and have a test drive, they\u2019ll come back, think about it and then finish the purchase online. We see that a lot.\u201d\nAmazon aims to enable the online transaction\u00a0and make it very smooth, Jin said.\nThe company began rolling out the Amazon Autos offering in December, saying in a press release that it was partnering with\u00a0automotive dealers and brands to bring the Amazon experience to the car-buying process.\nAmazon launched this digital shopping experience in partnership with Hyundai, enabling shoppers in 48 U.S. cities to buy new Hyundai vehicles from local participating dealers on Amazon.\nThe company said at the time that Amazon Autos planned to add more Hyundai dealers as well as other manufacturers, brands and cities.\nAmazon Autos allows car shoppers to browse, order, finance\u00a0and schedule pickup of the vehicle from their local participating dealer, all within the familiar Amazon store. They can also get an instant valuation and trade for their existing vehicle.\nFor dealers, this offering provides a new sales\u00a0channel and a way to streamline the steps involved in the process, Amazon said.\nThe post Amazon Autos to Help Dealers Sell Used Cars appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-19T19:05:32-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-19T19:05:32-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Amazon-Autos-eCommerce-transportation.jpg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "Amazon Autos", "car dealerships", "car shopping", "digital transformation", "ecommerce", "News", "online car shopping", "online shopping", "PYMNTS News", "Retail", "transportation", "used car sales", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2510932", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/ftc-staffing-cuts-could-delay-amazon-trial/", "title": "FTC: Staffing Cuts Could Delay Amazon Trial", "content_html": "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says staffing cuts could delay its case against Amazon.
\nAs CNBC reported Wednesday (March 12), attorneys for the regulator have asked a judge to hold off on the start of a trial into whether Amazon had tricked customers into signing up for the company\u2019s Prime program.
\nThe reason? Staging and budget shortfalls, Jonathan Cohen, an attorney for the FTC, told Judge John Chun during a status hearing in federal court in Seattle ahead of the trial, which had been scheduled to begin Sept. 22.
\n\u201cWe have lost employees in the agency, in our division and on our case team,\u201d Cohen said, asking the judge for a two-month continuance.
\nAs the CNBC report noted, the agency\u2019s request is happening as the White House\u2019s new Department of Government Efficiency is pushing to reduce spending, an effort that has included layoffs of tens of thousands of federal employees.
\nThe judge asked Cohen how the FTC\u2019s situation \u201cwill be different in two months\u201d if the regulator is \u201cin crisis now, as far as resources.\u201d
\nCohen replied by saying that he \u201ccannot guarantee if things won\u2019t be even worse.\u201d He even said it\u2019s possible that the FTC may have to move to another office \u201cunexpectedly,\u201d which could hinder its ability to prepare for the trial.
\n\u201cBut there\u2019s a lot of reason to believe … we may have been through the brunt of it, at least for a little while,\u201d Cohen said.
\nAs PYMNTS reported last month, the FTC has of late made moves that suggest that the business world\u2019s hopes that the Trump administration would take a more relaxed approach to regulation may be unfounded.
\nFor example, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said last month the agency would continue to use the merger guidelines established by the commission and Department of Justice in 2023.
\nThe same day, Ferguson named David Shaw as the FTC\u2019s principal deputy director, describing him as \u201can experienced antitrust lawyer with expertise in high-stakes litigation and contentious merger review.\u201d
\nThe FTC sued Amazon in June of 2023, alleging that the tech giant had employed practices that \u201ctricked and trapped\u201d customers into signing up for Prime recurring subscriptions.
\nThe suit argued that Amazon has used \u201cdark patterns\u201d to dupe consumers into enrolling into the program, while also making it difficult to cancel their subscriptions.
\nThe regulator also alleged that while Amazon had revamped its cancellation process for at least some subscribers, \u201cthe primary purpose of the Prime cancellation process was not to enable subscribers to cancel, but rather to thwart them.\u201d
\nAmazon has said the FTC\u2019s case has no merit, and \u2014 per the CNBC report \u2014 also opposed the agency\u2019s request to delay the trial.
\nThe post FTC: Staffing Cuts Could Delay Amazon Trial appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says staffing cuts could delay its case against Amazon.\nAs CNBC reported Wednesday (March 12), attorneys for the regulator have asked a judge to hold off on the start of a trial into whether Amazon had tricked customers into signing up for the company\u2019s Prime program.\nThe reason? Staging and budget shortfalls, Jonathan Cohen, an attorney for the FTC, told Judge John Chun during a status hearing in federal court in Seattle ahead of the trial, which had been scheduled to begin Sept. 22.\n\u201cWe have lost employees in the agency, in our division and on our case team,\u201d Cohen said, asking the judge for a two-month continuance.\nAs the CNBC report noted, the agency\u2019s request is happening as the White House\u2019s new Department of Government Efficiency is pushing to reduce spending, an effort that has included layoffs of tens of thousands of federal employees.\nThe judge asked Cohen how the FTC\u2019s situation \u201cwill be different in two months\u201d if the regulator is \u201cin crisis now, as far as resources.\u201d\nCohen replied by saying that he \u201ccannot guarantee if things won\u2019t be even worse.\u201d He even said it\u2019s possible that the FTC may have to move to another office \u201cunexpectedly,\u201d which could hinder its ability to prepare for the trial.\n\u201cBut there\u2019s a lot of reason to believe … we may have been through the brunt of it, at least for a little while,\u201d Cohen said.\nAs PYMNTS reported last month, the FTC has of late made moves that suggest that the business world\u2019s hopes that the Trump administration would take a more relaxed approach to regulation may be unfounded.\nFor example, FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson said last month the agency would continue to use the merger guidelines established by the commission and Department of Justice in 2023.\nThe same day, Ferguson named David Shaw as the FTC\u2019s principal deputy director, describing him as \u201can experienced antitrust lawyer with expertise in high-stakes litigation and contentious merger review.\u201d\nThe FTC sued Amazon in June of 2023, alleging that the tech giant had employed practices that \u201ctricked and trapped\u201d customers into signing up for Prime recurring subscriptions.\nThe suit argued that Amazon has used \u201cdark patterns\u201d to dupe consumers into enrolling into the program, while also making it difficult to cancel their subscriptions.\nThe regulator also alleged that while Amazon had revamped its cancellation process for at least some subscribers, \u201cthe primary purpose of the Prime cancellation process was not to enable subscribers to cancel, but rather to thwart them.\u201d\nAmazon has said the FTC\u2019s case has no merit, and \u2014 per the CNBC report \u2014 also opposed the agency\u2019s request to delay the trial.\nThe post FTC: Staffing Cuts Could Delay Amazon Trial appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-03-12T15:35:48-04:00", "date_modified": "2025-03-12T15:35:48-04:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FTC-1.jpg", "tags": [ "Amazon", "Amazon Prime", "Dark Patterns", "doge", "Federal Trade Commission", "FTC", "Lawsuits", "Layoffs", "legal", "News", "personnel", "PYMNTS News", "regulations", "Regulators", "subscription commerce", "subscriptions", "What's Hot" ] }, { "id": "https://www.pymnts.com/?p=2501599", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/amazon/2025/amazon-banking-on-robotics-savings-amid-increased-ai-spending/", "title": "Amazon Banking on Robotics Savings Amid Increased AI Spending", "content_html": "Amazon is aiming to derive savings from its robotics investment as it ups AI spending.
\nAs the Financial Times (FT) reported Wednesday (Feb. 26), the tech giant is expected to spend $35 billion on its retail network \u2014 which includes robotics-powered warehouses \u2014 to drive efficiencies and improve delivery speeds amid rising competition from the likes of Temu.
\nAlthough most of the $100 billion the company will spend this year will go to artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, roughly a quarter will be earmarked for automation in Amazon\u2019s eCommerce business, the report added, citing analyst estimates.
\n\u201cWe\u2019re seeing today how fruitful this technology is in transforming our everyday,\u201d Tye Brady, chief technologist at Amazon Robotics, told the FT, adding that the company plans to \u201ccontinue to invest\u201d in automation.
\nThe report notes that Amazon\u2019s Shreveport, LA fulfillment center has already shown the types of savings automation can bring.
\nAt this six-month-old, 3 million square foot facility, robots are involved at every stage of fulfillment, helping the company cut costs by 25% after a tenfold increase in robotics compared with its last generation of warehouses.
\nAs PYMNTS wrote earlier this month, Amazon plans to spend $26 billion this quarter developing AI capabilities for Amazon Web Services (AWS), a level of spending expected to remain consistent throughout this year.
\nThat type of spending is in line with Amazon\u2019s Big Tech counterparts, which are collectively set to spend $320 billion in 2025 as they embark on \u2014 as Microsoft President Brad Smith put it in a recent blog post \u2014 a new industrial revolution.
\n\u201cHowever, AI requires hefty investments,\u201d PYMNTS wrote recently. \u201cTraining large language models uses thousands of GPUs (each Nvidia GPU costs about $10,000 or more) or specialized AI chips for a total of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Running these AI models at scale also requires high-performance data centers, which need more servers and require more cooling and maintenance.\u201d
\nIn other robotics/AI news, PYMNTS this week examined the potential of household robots following the debut of new robots from AI startup Figure.
\nJenny Shern, general manager at robot builder NexCOBOT, told PYMNTS humanoid robots face more complex challenges than their industrial cousins.
\n\u201cTraditional industrial robotic arms with vision systems primarily rely on preprogrammed instructions to execute tasks. This works well in factory environments where applications are repetitive and goal-oriented,\u201d she said
\nHowever, \u201cimplementing humanoid robots into household settings is a more complex advancement because, unlike factories, household environments are highly dynamic, and tasks will vary significantly from one home to another,\u201d Shern added.
\nThe post Amazon Banking on Robotics Savings Amid Increased AI Spending appeared first on PYMNTS.com.
\n", "content_text": "Amazon is aiming to derive savings from its robotics investment as it ups AI spending.\nAs the Financial Times (FT) reported Wednesday (Feb. 26), the tech giant is expected to spend $35 billion on its retail network \u2014 which includes robotics-powered warehouses \u2014 to drive efficiencies and improve delivery speeds amid rising competition from the likes of Temu.\nAlthough most of the $100 billion the company will spend this year will go to artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives, roughly a quarter will be earmarked for automation in Amazon\u2019s eCommerce business, the report added, citing analyst estimates.\n\u201cWe\u2019re seeing today how fruitful this technology is in transforming our everyday,\u201d Tye Brady, chief technologist at Amazon Robotics, told the FT, adding that the company plans to \u201ccontinue to invest\u201d in automation.\nThe report notes that Amazon\u2019s Shreveport, LA fulfillment center has already shown the types of savings automation can bring.\nAt this six-month-old, 3 million square foot facility, robots are involved at every stage of fulfillment, helping the company cut costs by 25% after a tenfold increase in robotics compared with its last generation of warehouses.\nAs PYMNTS wrote earlier this month, Amazon plans to spend $26 billion this quarter developing AI capabilities for Amazon Web Services (AWS), a level of spending expected to remain consistent throughout this year.\nThat type of spending is in line with Amazon\u2019s Big Tech counterparts, which are collectively set to spend $320 billion in 2025 as they embark on \u2014 as Microsoft President Brad Smith put it in a recent blog post \u2014 a new industrial revolution.\n\u201cHowever, AI requires hefty investments,\u201d PYMNTS wrote recently. \u201cTraining large language models uses thousands of GPUs (each Nvidia GPU costs about $10,000 or more) or specialized AI chips for a total of tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. Running these AI models at scale also requires high-performance data centers, which need more servers and require more cooling and maintenance.\u201d\nIn other robotics/AI news, PYMNTS this week examined the potential of household robots following the debut of new robots from AI startup Figure.\nJenny Shern, general manager at robot builder NexCOBOT, told PYMNTS humanoid robots face more complex challenges than their industrial cousins.\n\u201cTraditional industrial robotic arms with vision systems primarily rely on preprogrammed instructions to execute tasks. This works well in factory environments where applications are repetitive and goal-oriented,\u201d she said\nHowever, \u201cimplementing humanoid robots into household settings is a more complex advancement because, unlike factories, household environments are highly dynamic, and tasks will vary significantly from one home to another,\u201d Shern added.\nThe post Amazon Banking on Robotics Savings Amid Increased AI Spending appeared first on PYMNTS.com.", "date_published": "2025-02-26T06:52:47-05:00", "date_modified": "2025-02-26T06:52:47-05:00", "authors": [ { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" } ], "author": { "name": "PYMNTS", "url": "https://www.pymnts.com/author/pymnts/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/679fcf5c2ed5358e99e8e23b22e3b5d761e37bdb76fa7b0e13d8ecd9ff01bf88?s=512&d=blank&r=g" }, "image": "https://www.pymnts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Amazon-robotics.jpg", "tags": [ "AI", "Amazon", "Amazon Web Services", "artificial intelligence", "automation", "AWS", "News", "PYMNTS News", "robotics", "Robots", "What's Hot" ] } ] }