tech
Hidden Airtag Reveals Amazon is Trashing Rare Books to Train AI
Amazon’s team uses a T. rex preparing to devour a book as its logo.
TL;DR
- An Airtag hidden in a rare book led investigators to an Amazon AI training facility where books are destroyed after scanning.
- Amazon's VGT3 team, responsible for book scanning, reportedly faced book shortages, indicating a high demand for training data.
- The investigation suggests AI firms may be targeting books with ISBNs to methodically scan printed works for training data.
- Critics like Michael Burry have condemned the practice as 'evil incarnate,' while others debate the value of preserving old, obscure books.
- Booksellers express concern over the destruction of historically and intellectually valuable works that AI companies may overlook.