Amazon is closing its Shanghai AI research laboratory as part of its latest cost-cutting measures.
The laboratory was established in 2018 and focused on machine learning and language technology, among other things. The closure is also linked to AWS unit layoffs and, of course, it somewhat reflects the growing tensions between the United States and China. Amazon has indeed gradually withdrawn from the Chinese market.
Amazonâs Q2 report today. Any thoughts on the report?
Iâll respond to this with something, having followed the company as an owner :), I personally feel that nothing particularly positive has come up in these three months, based on what Iâve followed in the news stream. Well, there havenât really been any major company-specific negative news either.
Perhaps itâs concerning that there have been tariff uncertainties, and the companyâs management has, in my opinion, been a bit cautious in their comments. Management has spoken in a tone that Amazon can emerge as a winner from difficult times or something similar, so I would imagine from this that this quarter might not have been so easy, but there would be more light in the longer term.
Iâm interested in how AWS has performed, and how the company has managed with tariff issues and other problems, for example, what the profitability has been like, and if there are problems, whether they seem long-term. 
Pekka had his thoughts in a tweet.
At first glance, things went well, as revenue grew significantly compared to last year. Sales were reportedly boosted especially by favorable international exchange rate developments, and AWS continued its strong growth. Fortunately, operating profit and net profit also rose clearly from the previous yearâs level, which likely indicates improved efficiency.
The importance of AWS is increasingly evident in the companyâs results, which should come as no surprise. Cloud service sales and profitability both grew, providing further support for the entire companyâs results. At the same time, cash flow remained strong, creating good conditions for investments and future development.
CEO Andy Jassy emphasized that AI is already transforming much of the customer experience. The company has also expanded Alexa+, released new AI models and tools for developers, and reportedly made robotics and agent services more efficient. According to the CEO, these advancements support both innovation and business growth in the future.
I would have liked a bit more concrete information from the company, but Iâll have to read more to see if I can find it.
https://x.com/BeginnerTrades/status/1951010486255837423
Hereâs a start, Iâll add more later.
I highlighted that from there, which I suspect is the main reason why Amazon stumbled.
https://x.com/StockMarketNerd/status/1951012836576207150
I personally like these data visualizations, and Iâve heard and noticed that many others do too, so Iâm sharing this one here:
https://x.com/EconomyApp/status/1951016016869466399
Here are a few key points (with some repetition) that stood out:
AWS indeed grew by 18 percent in the second quarter, which strengthened its position in the cloud services market. The company gained new customers, such as a multi-year agreement with Pepsi, and also announced it would open a data center region in Chile by 2027.
Challenges now and in the future can be caused by intensifying competition, as Microsoft and Google are also investing heavily in AI and cloud services. However, I suspect that Amazonâs operating profit forecast fell short of analystsâ estimates, so I suspect that is the main reason for the difficulties.
EDIT:
I received the link below on WhatsApp, which stated, among other things:
Amazon forecasts strong third-quarter sales, but then AWS fell short of expectations and its margins weakened. According to the article, investors were disappointed when competitors Microsoft and Google reported significantly faster cloud services growth, which also pushed Amazonâs stock price down.
One more for good measure:
@Heikki_Keskivaliâs tweet about Amazon:
According to the article below, Amazonâs robotaxi company Zoox finally received the green light from authorities and can now showcase its self-driving cars in the United States.
The safety agency closed its previous investigation and Zoox is preparing to expand â the first destination is Las Vegas!
Amazon launched 24 new Kuiper satellites on SpaceXâs Falcon 9 rocket, increasing the total to 102.
Weather had previously delayed the launch several times before the successful liftoff from Cape Canaveral.
Amazon is rushing to meet the FCCâs requirement that half of its 3,236 satellites must be in orbit by July 2026.
FCC = Federal Communications Commission
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/11/amazon-kuiper-internet-satellites-launch.html
Amazon will soon stop allowing Prime members to share free shipping benefits with friends outside their household. Starting in October, benefits can only be shared with those living at the same address through the Amazon Family program. In practice, this is a way to attract more paying subscribers.
Amazonâs extended four-day Prime Day boosted sales, but still, the number of new Prime memberships in the United States fell short of both the previous year and targets.
The company registered 5.4 million sign-ups, which is about 2â5 percent less than before, even though overall sales were record-breaking.
Amazon-owned Zoox launched in Las Vegas. Rides can be taken for free from certain points along the Strip, and expansions are already promised. This is Amazonâs first official move in an industry that Waymo has dominated for years. The difference from its competitors is that Zooxâs vehicle doesnât even look like a traditional car â no steering wheel, no pedals, but a rectangular capsule that some have called a âtoaster on wheels.â 
After Las Vegas, Zoox aims for San Francisco and will expand to other cities, such as Austin and Miami. Safety has been a challenge for the entire industry, and Zoox has already had to make software updates after collisions.
Zooxâs team, of course, believes they are on their way to a safer and more profitable business.
You can read more from the article below.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/10/amazons-zoox-jumps-into-us-robotaxi-race-with-las-vegas-launch-.html
EDIT:
https://x.com/StockMKTNewz/status/1965764181032100262
Netflix and Amazon are joining forces in the advertising market, as advertisers will be able to buy Netflixâs premium TV ad slots directly through Amazonâs DSP platform starting later this year.
The collaboration covers major markets; from the United States to Europe, Japan, Brazil, and Australia.
Amazon is now testing GMâs BrightDrop electric delivery vans as part of its big plan to get 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030. However, only about twenty vehicles are currently being tested, and they operate alongside Rivianâs vans.
Amazon already has over 25,000 Rivian electric vehicles in use and owns 16 percent of the company. Therefore, the BrightDrop tests do not change anything in that collaboration, and the goal is still carbon-neutral operations by 2040.
The article below discusses how Amazon has introduced a new âHear the Highlightsâ feature, which compiles a short audio summary generated by AI from customer reviews and product information. This can particularly help the visually impaired and reduce the âburdenâ caused by information overload.
On the other hand, experts warn that AI tends to homogenize feedback and overlook even valuable individual experiences. This can lead to the loss of the human touch that many people desire to support their decision-making.
However, the article mentions how audio guides can make online shopping more accessible and speed up the purchasing process. The direction of development seems to be towards interactive AI agents that answer customer questions in real-time and tailor the shopping experience even more individually.
"Key Points
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/14/amazon-product-reviews-ai-customers-online-shopping.html
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says Amazon is reducing bureaucracy because it reportedly slows down innovation and is at odds with entrepreneurship (in my opinion, more meetings and management by perkele).
He wants to restore Amazonâs old agility and develop it into the worldâs largest startup. Hundreds of unnecessary processes have already been eliminated with the help of employee feedback. These changes support the broader goal of streamlining and renewing the company.
As seen in that tweet, Amazon spent over 53 billion dollars in 2024 on investments in its cloud service AWS, which is more than double compared to 2023. This clearly indicates the continuous growth in the use of cloud technology.
https://x.com/fiscal_ai/status/1969763587813257329
In Amazonâs Q2 earnings call, the backlog was stated to be 195 billion. âIâll just start off to give you the backlog figures. So at the end of the quarter, at June 30, that was $195 billion, so thatâs up about 25% year-over-year.â
AI investments will continue to grow strongly at Amazon, Alphabet, and Microsoft next year as well, unless something truly negative happens in the macroeconomy.
For example, in Alphabetâs Q2 earnings call, it was stated: âCloud backlog increased 18% sequentially in Q2 and 38% year-over-year, reaching $106 billion at the end of the quarter.â
Amazon and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are in court over the Prime serviceâs alleged âdeceptiveâ marketing and also difficult cancellation.
According to the FTC, millions of customers were unknowingly lured into memberships, and cancellation was intentionally made difficult. Amazon, of course, denies the accusations.
"Key Points
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/23/amazon-faces-off-against-ftc-over-deceptive-prime-program.html
Below is a story about how Amazon-owned Zoox, which develops autonomous vehicles, is seeking permission from US authorities to operate cars without traditional controls. This initiative suggests that the company is aiming for broader commercial deployment in the coming years.
Zoox is requesting exemptions from several safety and structural requirements, such as brakes, visibility solutions, and âoccupant protectionâ. 
The authority will evaluate the application and also plans to collect public comments before making an official decision.
Amazon will pay a total of 2.5 billion dollars after settling with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission regarding misleading practices related to Prime memberships.
Approximately 35 million customers will receive a share of 1.5 billion, and a billion in fines will be paid directly to the FTC. Customers who joined Prime through misleading offers but used the services sparingly will automatically receive 51 dollars.
This Blumman story is not behind a paywall.
Echo is Amazonâs smart speaker and display series, controlled by the Alexa assistant.
Now the devices received a new generation of Alexa+, which, of course, also utilizes artificial intelligence. From the most affordable Dot Max to the top model Echo Show, prices range from $99â$219 â the aim is to more deeply engage users with Amazonâs services.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/amazon-alexa-echo-price.html
Amazon Prime Video is expanding its NBA broadcasts in cooperation with FanDuel.
Viewers can link their FanDuel accounts to Prime and also follow their bets in real-time with the new OddsView feature. The reported aim is to make broadcasts even more experiential and attract more audience specifically to Prime Videoâs sports offerings.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/09/30/amazon-prime-fanduel-real-time-nba-betting-updates.html
