Senator Sanders Questions Amazon Over AI Plans to Cut 500,000 Jobs

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has confronted Amazon founder Jeff Bezos over the company's extensive plans to automate warehouse operations, potentially replacing up to 500,000 jobs with robots and AI. Sanders questioned how Amazon intends to support the displaced workers, including severance, healthcare, and retirement benefits, amid reports of an initial 14,000 layoffs and a broader strategy to automate 75% of its operations by 2027. The senator criticized the impact on blue-collar workers and warned that Amazon's automation efforts could become a model for other large corporations, potentially displacing tens of millions of jobs nationwide. Amazon has stated its automation aims to assist workers and create new jobs, but Sanders remains skeptical, highlighting the company's receipt of substantial federal contracts and subsidies. The issue raises broader concerns about the future of work, corporate accountability, and the social responsibility of billionaires amid rapid technological advancements. Sanders' intervention underscores the growing debate over how AI-driven efficiencies should balance with workers' rights and economic security.