Amazon’s aggressive AI push raises employee concerns

Employees at Amazon say the company’s aggressive adoption of artificial intelligence tools is slowing workflows, increasing oversight and adding extra tasks, as management pushes widespread use of internal AI systems to accelerate productivity and innovation.

Several employees at Amazon have raised concerns about the company’s rapid push to integrate artificial intelligence into everyday work processes. Workers say the effort to embed AI across corporate roles is sometimes slowing productivity rather than improving it.

According to employees speaking anonymously, the company is encouraging staff to adopt internal AI tools in nearly all tasks, even when the technology is not ideally suited to the job.

Developers Say AI Tools Create More Work

Some engineers say the AI tools they are required to use frequently produce inaccurate or incomplete results that require significant manual correction.

For example, one developer described working with an internal coding assistant known as Kiro, which is designed to generate software code automatically. According to the employee, the tool often produces flawed code that must be reviewed and fixed manually.

Instead of saving time, employees say they often end up spending additional hours correcting errors or rewriting code entirely.

A supply chain engineer with more than a decade at the company said AI tools were useful only occasionally and still required verification and adjustments from colleagues.

Pressure to Use AI Across Teams

Workers say managers frequently ask whether tasks can be completed faster using AI tools. This has created pressure to rely on AI even when it may not be the most efficient approach.

Some employees report that internal hackathons and development programs are now heavily focused on generative AI tools aimed at improving developer productivity.

However, employees claim many of these tools are still experimental or “half-baked”, requiring additional time to test and validate their outputs.

Amazon Responds to Concerns

A spokesperson for Amazon said employees across different teams are experimenting with AI in various ways to determine what works best.

The company stated that most teams report gaining value from AI tools and that the organisation encourages workers to use them as part of a “learn-as-you-work” approach to technology adoption.

Amazon also said it does not mandate that teams must use specific AI tools.

Layoffs and Investment in AI

The concerns come amid significant workforce changes within the company. Over the past four months, Amazon has reportedly laid off around 30,000 corporate employees, representing roughly 10% of its corporate workforce.

At the same time, the company is dramatically increasing its investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Amazon announced plans to spend approximately $200 billion on AI-related infrastructure this year and also revealed a $50 billion investment in OpenAI.

Industry observers say these investments reflect the company’s long-term strategy to integrate AI deeply into its operations and services.

Growing Concerns Over Workplace Monitoring

Employees have also expressed concerns about monitoring systems linked to AI adoption.

Workers say internal dashboards allow managers to track how frequently teams use AI tools. These dashboards reportedly measure AI adoption levels and engagement across departments.

Some employees believe the data could influence performance reviews or promotion opportunities, though Amazon says AI usage is not part of official evaluation criteria.

Experts say such systems may increase workplace surveillance as companies seek to understand how AI tools are being used.

A Broader Shift in the Workplace

Amazon’s approach could have implications far beyond its own workforce. As one of the largest employers in the United States, the company often shapes workplace trends across industries.

Chief executive Andy Jassy has encouraged employees to embrace AI tools, highlighting their potential to boost productivity and innovation across the company.

However, some workers worry that the rapid adoption of AI may lead to job reductions or require employees to train systems that could eventually replace parts of their roles.

As companies across the technology sector experiment with artificial intelligence, Amazon’s large-scale implementation is becoming a key example of how AI could reshape the modern workplace.