Amazon is constructing a colossal data center in Indiana, spanning 1,200 acres and designed to support AI operations in collaboration with Anthropic. This facility will consume 2.2 gigawatts of electricity, marking a significant leap in the scale of data centers as the tech industry races to accommodate the growing demands of artificial intelligence.

Amazon is considering a significant investment in AI firm Anthropic, potentially exceeding the $8 billion already committed last November. This move aims to enhance their strategic partnership with the AI company, according to reports from the Financial Times.

Amazon is laying off approximately 14,000 corporate workers, about 4% of its workforce, as it reallocates resources to invest heavily in artificial intelligence amid pressure from investors to tighten finances. The layoffs follow disappointing growth in Amazon's AI business and come in the context of broader job cuts across the retail sector, including Starbucks and Target. CEO Andy Jassy has indicated that increasing efficiency through AI will likely reduce the overall corporate workforce in the coming years.

Amazon has significantly upgraded its voice assistant Alexa with new AI technology, allowing for more natural and fluid conversations similar to human interaction. The transition to a large language model has faced various technical challenges, but it promises to enhance Alexa's ability to handle complex requests and improve overall user experience.