Bernie Sanders Targets Jeff Bezos' $290 Billion Wealth, Luxury Spending—Issues 600,000 Job Loss Warning: 'Reality Of American Life'
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On Tuesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) criticized Jeff Bezos’ wealth and Amazon.com Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:AMZN) use of automation, warning that it could lead to major job losses and worsening inequality.
Bezos Wealth And Amazon Automation
In a post on X, Sanders targeted Bezos, citing his estimated $290 billion net worth and highlighting alleged luxury spending, including high-end real estate, private assets, and celebrity event appearances.
"The reality of American life today: Jeff Bezos, worth $290 billion, spent: $10 million on the Met Gala, $120 million on a penthouse, $500 million on a yacht," Sanders wrote.
He further claimed that Bezos is "planning to throw 600,000 Amazon workers out on the streets and replace them with robots," calling the situation "unacceptable."
Amazon Job Cuts Accelerate Amid AI Restructuring Push
Earlier, Amazon reduced tens of thousands of jobs across multiple rounds of layoffs as it restructured operations and expanded its focus on artificial intelligence.
The company cut about 16,000 positions as part of efforts to streamline management and improve efficiency, offering affected employees internal job opportunities where possible, along with severance and benefits for those who could not transition.
In a separate wave, Amazon eliminated more than 14,000 roles across key divisions, including cloud computing, retail, devices and advertising, with engineers among the most affected.
Regulatory filings showed engineers made up a significant share of layoffs in several U.S. states.
The job cuts came alongside increased investment in AI systems designed to automate parts of the company's operations, raising concerns about further workforce reductions in the future.
AI Spending And Adoption
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg said increased AI spending had driven planned layoffs, with the company expected to cut about 10% of its workforce to balance rising infrastructure costs.
Mark Cuban also warned that AI adoption could lead to job losses, but said workers who quickly learn and adapt to the technology would have a competitive edge.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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