Amazon’s growing obsession with artificial intelligence has sparked a wave of resistance, not from regulators but from within its own workforce. More than 1,000 Amazon employees have signed an open letter to CEO Andy Jassy, asking him to slow the company’s “warp speed” expansion of AI. They argue that AI is accelerating environmental destruction, endangering jobs, and endangering democracy itself. The letter, sponsored by Amazon Employees for Climate Justice (AECJ), comes as the tech giant plans to double down on its AI ambitions and spend $150 billion on new data centers and tools across its businesses. But workers say the rush to profits and innovation comes at a heavy price.
Amazon employees ask CEO Andy Jassy to slow AI push: 5 points to tell the story
Employees criticize Amazon’s reckless AI push
In an open letter to Jassy, employees warned that Amazon’s “justify every cost” approach to AI could cause “staggering damage to our democracy, our jobs, and our planet.” They said that while AI may be revolutionary, Amazon’s current trajectory prioritizes speed and market dominance over safety and ethics. “We, the undersigned Amazon employees, have grave concerns about this aggressive development at a time when authoritarianism is on the rise globally and at a most critical time to reverse the climate crisis,” the letter said.
The employees said that as people who “develop, train, and use AI,” they felt a moral responsibility to intervene before the technology was deployed irresponsibly.
Concerns about climate change gain attention
Amazon has pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, but the letter claims its carbon footprint has increased by 35% since 2019.
Employees criticized Amazon’s plans to build hundreds of AI data centers, many of which would be located in drought-prone areas that would consume large amounts of water and energy. They argued that Amazon’s facilities “require energy that could keep coal or gas plants running,” and that the company is campaigning against laws that would require such centers to use clean energy.
The letter also highlighted Amazon Web Services’ partnerships with oil and gas companies and argued that AI tools used to increase drilling efficiency directly undermine efforts to combat global climate change.
Jobs at risk and worker rights
Beyond environmental concerns, employees raised the alarm about the impact AI will have on jobs and working conditions. They cited Jassy’s public comments about deploying AI “agents” across Amazon’s operations, which he said would make the rest of his role “exciting and fun.” But the workers painted a different picture. They said the introduction of AI means increased workloads, shorter delivery times, and inefficient processes due to insufficient automation.
They also accused the company of challenging the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the U.S. agency responsible for protecting workers’ rights. Employees say such actions show Amazon executives prioritize control over collaboration.
Fear of AI misuse and lack of accountability
The open letter also addresses the broader ethical risks associated with the deployment of unregulated AI. Employees noted that Amazon, along with other tech giants such as Meta, Microsoft and Google, has been campaigning against government regulation of AI for more than a decade.
They expressed concern that AI systems could be misused for violence, surveillance, and mass deportations, especially in the absence of transparent oversight. Employees also noted that Jeff Bezos’ ownership of the Washington Post gives Amazon indirect influence over the public debate about AI and its potential impact.
“While all of this is daunting, none of this is inevitable,” the letter concludes.
What employees want
The workers outlined three immediate demands to Amazon management.
- Don’t build AI using dirty energy – All AI data centers must be powered entirely by renewable energy.
- There is no AI without employee input – Companies need to form ethical AI working groups with real decision-making authority.
- Do not use AI for harm – AI systems should not be deployed for violence, surveillance, or fossil fuel extraction.
So far, 1,039 Amazon employees have signed the letter, along with more than 2,400 external supporters, including employees from Google, Meta, Microsoft, Apple, Uber, and SpaceX.
So far, Amazon has not publicly responded to the open letter. But with pressure mounting from its own employees, the company may soon have to decide whether the competition to dominate the AI industry is worth the growing frustration within its own walls.
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