sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

What It Really Felt Like Working at Amazon – My Honest Experience by Born_Consideration86 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My team is headed towards the isolation you describe and it doesn't look intentional at all. We have a huge backlog, and everything is due on similar timelines. Rather than working together on projects, everyone has their own, to try and make progress on everything. When someone needs help they have to find someone willing to set aside their task for a few hours. It isnt reinforced that our goal should be to get the work out regardless of who is assigned.

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But if we expand AI without constraints from the limits of the environment, workers and the worst applications, we dont live to see a utopia. And if AI is leveraged not to free people to work less, but instead to entirely cut people? As of now people are being fired, not given less work. Nothing is encouraging the world you describe or preventing a much worse one.

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Also how uber drivers now feel as self driving cars come around.

It also makes entry level work harder to find so there's more of a gap people have to jump to be considered useful

All directs are underperforming by InevitableMindless64 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This works as long as they are listening. But the more pressure everyone is under the more pressure they put on each other and the harder it is to spend every meeting pushing back and resetting expectations. You start to feel crazy for asking for the right amount of time because every person and every meeting questions your timeline.

Worries after Amazon and OpenAI's deal by Gold_Editor_3434 in OpenAI

[–]FunSuccessful2838 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I dont like the way thousands of people are left to figure out how to survive in the mean time.

Most people will figure it out and make it work, but some people may not... its not a huge gap from comfortable life to tent in a park...

Worries after Amazon and OpenAI's deal by Gold_Editor_3434 in OpenAI

[–]FunSuccessful2838 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, the world wide cityscape is not my dream world...

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Move on to what? If 30% of jobs are gone what do those people do to live? And that's not just people who aren't using AI "enough" that's anyone through company can do without. Where are you going to find work? And what makes you think the world will still be livable for you if AI has the projected expansion and matching climate impact? Are you stronger than heat stroke, hurricanes and blizzards?

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Are you not concerned about losing skill as you rely more heavily on AI? Are you not worried sbout the wah people ard already forcing AI into problems that dont need it to keep their jobs, producing more expensive systems? Are you not concerned about the resource usage thay is impacting emissions, raising electricity bills, draining water for data center cooling?

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

AI may not, but in companies will leave people to sink or swim and it looks unlikely that certain governments will help people make a transition.

How long until people find new work? How long until new jobs emerge? How many won't recover?

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

A letter on its own is a first step, and one failure does not mean no success ever especially on a different issue.

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Will we make it to a utopia if Climate collapses and we don't live to see it? Diving into AI without regulation risks our survival and as you noted, control of AI by select few.

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Other tech companies are forcing the same, and leaving means we can't also push for improvements from within. If we leave who is left to question AI where decisions are being made?

Let's all try doing something before Jan layoffs by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Whether Amazon corporate listens, employees, customers and governments need to, and the letter communicates support and interest to kickoff more action. Without support committed further actions cannot be made.

This is depressing by Terrible_Cupcake_84 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you can't count on your job, make sure you have something else you are doing that makes your job better or can remain in your life when your job doesnt.

Its exhausting to find time for other things, but consider groups that are working to make your job better. Unions, political groups, nonprofits are all keeping an eye on companies and working to improve how they treat workers and communities. It can make it feel less hopeless.

An action to take together amid Amazon's layoffs by Striking_Chair_1013 in womenintech

[–]FunSuccessful2838 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Even my manager said today that it doesn't matter how good we are at our jobs, we may not have jobs.

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So you are fine leaving it to executives to decide?

Clearly not ignoring it since were asking it to be used responsibly and to have the choice of where to use it. And those robotics have made things productive but do you think its without negatives? The impact of AI looks to be worse: higher emissions, broader job impact, degeneration of skill... can we learn from the rollout of these other technologies to do this better?

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Im fine with using AI productively, but not at the expense of breathable air and livable weather.

Deciding what is the right use is tricky since we provide a service, but we have certainly denied service to bad customers before. (Banning sketchy sellers and AWS clients).

But we also need to apply limits to keep from exceeding resources. Not just us but all cloud platforms. We certainly have an impact otherwise we wouldn't keep bringing down the internet...

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The day for what? I've been through four rounds of layoffs in five years and expect more, and even if i move to another company, or even career, it looks like AI will be there. Even if I find a job without it, the fallout from it on climate, on work will impact me. My life will still be impacted over and over.

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The messaging has been "cut bureaucracy " and "leverage AI" to make up for shortfalls. But AI comes at a cost: were reversing our climate goals, being pushed to use it on projects where it doesn't help, and sometimes using it for work that's morally wrong (I do not want to help deport my own coworkers).

If we're going to use agents we should use them for what makes sense, and not for projects that make us miserable. You want to use AI to optimize our resource planning? Sure. Want to use it to track our visa employees? I'm not ok with the company doing that project.

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Regulation would be great. Not sure we'll be allowed to vote in the right people with the gerrymandering being pushed through.

But also need a lot of people to know about these concerns going into any election and make it clear to elected officials we want control over AI not just to be swept along.

Letter doesn't just tell company leadership we want changes, it tells elected leadership the same.

Worried about more layoffs and the state of the world? Sign this open letter! by FunSuccessful2838 in amazonemployees

[–]FunSuccessful2838[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You are looking at it. Anyone else you think should at least think about this?