Amazon in the AI press
7 stories about Amazon, Mon, 17 Aug 2026 to Wed, 19 Aug 2026, summarised from the 1 AI newsletters that covered them.
Everything about Amazon
Amazon makes Alexa+ free on Fire TV without Prime membership
Amazon is automatically upgrading all compatible Fire TV devices in the U.S. to Alexa+, its AI assistant that understands conversational questions instead of requiring specific voice commands. Previously, Alexa+ cost $19.99 monthly for non-Prime members. Now it comes free to all Fire TV users, including those on Amazon Fire TV Sticks, Fire TV Cube, and compatible Hisense and Panasonic smart TVs.
TechCrunch
Engadget
Tech giants carry trillions in hidden AI spending commitments
Nine major technology companies have approximately $3 trillion in AI-related obligations not fully disclosed on their balance sheets, including $1.2 trillion in data center leases. These commitments include $1.9 trillion in hardware purchases, with Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta spending more on these obligations than they generate in free cash flow.
Superhuman
Major tech firms hide $3 trillion in AI spending off their books
Nine large tech companies have $3 trillion in AI commitments not listed on standard financial statements, including $1.2 trillion in data center leases and $1.9 trillion in hardware purchases. Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta have moved into negative free cash flow, meaning they are spending more money than they generate from their core businesses.
Superhuman
Tech companies hiding $3 trillion in AI spending commitments
Nine major tech firms have $3 trillion in AI costs not shown on their public financial statements, including $1.2 trillion in data center leases and $1.9 trillion in hardware purchases. Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta have moved into negative free cash flow, meaning they are spending more than they earn even after accounting for their known expenses.
Superhuman
Nine tech firms hide $3 trillion in AI spending from balance sheets
Nine major technology companies have $3 trillion in AI commitments not reported as official debt, including $1.2 trillion in data center leases and $1.9 trillion in hardware purchases. Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta now have negative free cash flow, meaning they spend more money than they generate after accounting for these hidden obligations.
Superhuman
Amazon uses Twitch streams to train AI unless creators opt out
Twitch, owned by Amazon, has been using creator streams and videos to train Amazon's generative AI models (software that makes new text, images, or video) without explicit permission, only now offering an opt-out option. The opt-out setting is buried in account settings under Security and Privacy, and was turned on by default. Twitch's product chief admitted that if it were opt-in instead, almost no one would participate.
Wired
BBC News
Amazon destroys rare books at Las Vegas facility to train AI models
Amazon operates a facility in Las Vegas that systematically buys rare books in bulk, removes their spines, and scans pages to create training data for AI models, according to 404 Media's investigation using a tracking device. Large language models, like those Amazon develops, require enormous amounts of unique text to improve. Rare and out-of-print books are especially valuable because they predate AI and cannot be found on the internet.
TechCrunch
Ars Technica