Multiple outlets report that Amazon is purchasing large quantities of books, scanning them for AI training data, and destroying the physical copies in the process. The claims stem from a 404 Media investigation that followed a tracked rare book through its shipping and processing chain, ending at an Amazon warehouse in Las Vegas, Nevada.
According to warehouse workers interviewed as part of the reporting, the operation receives significant shipments of printed books. Workers describe cutting off bindings to speed up scanning, after which the books are destroyed. The facilities and internal work groups mentioned in the reporting include a Las Vegas site referred to as VGT3.
Outlets characterize the effort as tied to training and improving Amazon’s AI-related products and services, though the reporting also notes the broader context of similar practices by other companies. An Amazon spokesperson tells 404 Media that Amazon purchases books through commercial channels to help develop and improve products and services for customers, without addressing specific details of scanning and destruction.
