Editing Jeff Bezos (section)

=== Amazon ===
{{Main|Amazon (company)|l1=Amazon}}
[[File:Jeff Bezos visits the Robot Co-op in 2005.jpg|thumb|Bezos (front row, center) at the Robot Co-op in 2005]]

In spring 1994, Bezos read that web usage was growing at a rate of 2300% a year and eventually decided to establish an [[Online shopping|online bookstore]].<ref>Robinson (2010), pp. 9–12</ref> He and his then-wife, [[MacKenzie Scott]], left their jobs at D. E. Shaw and founded Amazon in a rented garage in [[Bellevue, Washington|Bellevue]], Washington on July 5, 1994, after writing its [[business plan]] on a cross-country drive from New York City to [[Seattle]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/how-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-went-from-the-son-of-a-teen-mom-to-the-worlds-richest-person.html|title=How Amazon's Jeff Bezos went from the son of a teen mom to the richest person in the world|last=Clifford|first=Catherine|date=October 27, 2017 |publisher=CNBC|access-date=March 6, 2018|archive-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180307151053/https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/27/how-amazon-founder-jeff-bezos-went-from-the-son-of-a-teen-mom-to-the-worlds-richest-person.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="portfolio.com2">{{cite web|url=http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984|title=Top Executive Profiles – Jeffrey P. Bezos|website=Portfolio.com |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090204204126/http://www.portfolio.com/resources/executive-profiles/Jeffrey-P-Bezos-1984|archive-date=February 4, 2009|url-status= dead}}</ref> With Bezos at the helm and Scott taking an integral role in its operation—writing checks, keeping track of the books, and negotiating the company's first freight contracts—the foundation was laid for this garage-run operation to grow exponentially.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Matsakis |first=Louise |title=MacKenzie Bezos and the Myth of the Lone Genius Founder |language=en-US |magazine=Wired |url=https://www.wired.com/story/mackenzie-bezos-amazon-lone-genius-myth/ |access-date=April 14, 2022 |issn=1059-1028 |archive-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516162130/https://www.wired.com/story/mackenzie-bezos-amazon-lone-genius-myth/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Prior to settling in Seattle, Bezos had investigated setting up his company at an [[Indian reservation]] near [[San Francisco]] in order to avoid paying taxes.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.fastcompany.com/27309/whos-writing-book-web-business| title= Who's Writing the Book on Web Business?| last=Taylor|first=William|date=October 31, 1996| magazine=Fast Company|access-date=November 24, 2020| archive-date=November 11, 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221110/https://www.fastcompany.com/27309/whos-writing-book-web-business| url-status=live}}</ref> Bezos initially named his new company ''Cadabra'' but later changed the name to ''Amazon'' after the [[Amazon River]] in South America, in part because the name begins with the letter ''A'', which is at the beginning of the alphabet.<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts">{{cite encyclopedia |url= https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amazoncom|title=Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts| encyclopedia= [[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date= June 8, 2019| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190608125826/https://www.britannica.com/topic/Amazoncom|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, website listings were alphabetized, so a name starting with "A" would appear sooner when customers conducted online searches.<ref name="Lebowitz">{{cite news |last=Lebowitz |first=Shana |date=July 5, 2019 |title=Amazon is celebrating its 25th birthday. Here's how the e-commerce giant got its name |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-jeff-bezos-chose-company-name-2018-5 |work=Business Insider |location=New York, NY |access-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611125234/https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-jeff-bezos-chose-company-name-2018-5 |url-status=live }}</ref> In addition, he regarded "Amazon," the name of the world's largest river as fitting for what he hoped would become the world's largest online bookstore.<ref name="Lebowitz" /> He accepted an estimated $300,000 from his parents as an investment in Amazon.<ref name="portfolio.com2" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Leibovich |first1=Mark |title=Child Prodigy, Online Pioneer |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/09/03/child-prodigy-online-pioneer/2ab207dc-d13a-4204-8949-493686e43415/ |access-date=June 8, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 3, 2000 |archive-date=September 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922221101/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/09/03/child-prodigy-online-pioneer/2ab207dc-d13a-4204-8949-493686e43415/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jeff Bezos convinced 22 investors to back his new company Amazon in 1994. Their returns? Mind-boggling |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2143375/1994-he-convinced-22-family-and-friends-each-pay |access-date=June 8, 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=April 26, 2018 |archive-date=June 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608202709/https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/2143375/1994-he-convinced-22-family-and-friends-each-pay |url-status=live }}</ref> He warned many early investors that there was a 70% chance that Amazon would fail or go bankrupt.<ref>Robinson (2010), p. 56</ref> Although Amazon was originally an online bookstore, Bezos had always planned to expand to other products.<ref name=Bayers /><ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Three years after Bezos founded Amazon, he took it public with an [[initial public offering]] (IPO).<ref>{{cite web| url= http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/amazon-stock-20-years-ipo|title=If You Invested in Amazon at Its IPO, You Could Have Been a Millionaire|last=Shen|first=Lucinda|date=May 15, 2017|website=Fortune|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date=March 8, 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308103918/http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/amazon-stock-20-years-ipo/|url-status=live}}</ref> In response to critical reports from ''[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]'' and ''[[Barron's (newspaper)|Barron's]]'', Bezos maintained that the growth of the Internet would overtake competition from larger book retailers such as [[Borders (retailer)|Borders]] and [[Barnes & Noble]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" />

In 1998, Bezos diversified into the online sale of music and video, and by the end of the year he had expanded the company's products to include a variety of other [[Final good|consumer goods]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Bezos used the $54&nbsp;million raised during the company's 1997 [[equity (finance)|equity offering]] to finance the aggressive acquisition of smaller competitors.<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Among these acquisitions were his purchase of a majority stake in [[pets.com]] in 1999 and a purchase of a portion of [[kozmo.com]] for $60 million, both of which would fail after the [[dot-com bubble]] collapse in 2000.<ref name="Rivlin"/> By the end of 2000, Bezos borrowed $2 billion from banks, as its cash balances dipped to only $350&nbsp;million.<ref name="Rivlin">{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|title=A Retail Revolution Turns 10|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|date=July 10, 2005|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-date= January 12, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180112062707/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|url-status=live }}</ref> However, the company continued to expand despite its losses,<ref name="Rivlin"/> and in 2002, Bezos led Amazon to launch [[Amazon Web Services]], which compiled data from weather channels and [[Web traffic|website traffic]].<ref name="Amazon.com {{!}} History & Facts" /> Revenues stagnated later that year,<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|title=A Retail Revolution Turns 10|last=Rivlin|first=Gary|date=October 7, 2005|work= The New York Times |access-date=April 3, 2018 |archive-date=June 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604053943/https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/a-retail-revolution-turns-10.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and after the company nearly went bankrupt, he closed distribution centers and laid off 14% of the Amazon workforce.<ref name="Rivlin" /> In 2003, Amazon rebounded from financial instability and turned a profit of $35&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_bezos_on_the_next_web_innovation|title=The electricity metaphor for the web's future|last=Bezos|first=Jeff|date=April 9, 2007 |access-date=March 7, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019224630/https://www.ted.com/talks/jeff_bezos_on_the_next_web_innovation|archive-date=October 19, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Perez 2004 Amazon profitable ">{{cite web | last=Perez | first=Juan Carlos | title=Amazon records first profitable year in its history | website=Computerworld | date=2004-01-28 | url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2575106/amazon-records-first-profitable-year-in-its-history.html | access-date=2024-02-19 | archive-date=February 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240219020424/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2575106/amazon-records-first-profitable-year-in-its-history.html | url-status=live }}</ref>

In November 2007, Bezos launched the [[Amazon Kindle]].<ref name="Amazon: Reinventing the Book">{{cite web |url= http://www.newsweek.com/amazon-reinventing-book-96909| title=Amazon: Reinventing the Book|date=November 17, 2007|website=Newsweek|access-date=March 7, 2018 |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231436/http://www.newsweek.com/amazon-reinventing-book-96909|archive-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> According to a 2008 ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' profile, Bezos wished to create a device that allowed a "[[Flow (psychology)|flow state]]" in reading similar to the experience of video games.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733758_1736345,00.html|title=The 2008 Time 100 |last=Quittner|first=Josh|date=May 12, 2008|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=March 7, 2018|issn=0040-781X|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120193819/http://content.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733758_1736345,00.html|archive-date=January 20, 2019}}</ref> In 2013, Bezos secured a $600-million contract with the [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) on behalf of Amazon Web Services.<ref name="Davenport">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-jeff-bezos-was-selected-but-never-joined-the-defense-innovation-board/2018/02/23/e3dd42d6-1828-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html|title=How Jeff Bezos was selected for, but never joined, the Defense Innovation Board|last1=Davenport|first1=Christian|date=February 23, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 7, 2018|last2=Lamothe|first2=Dan|issn=0190-8286|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308231406/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/how-jeff-bezos-was-selected-but-never-joined-the-defense-innovation-board/2018/02/23/e3dd42d6-1828-11e8-8b08-027a6ccb38eb_story.html|archive-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref> In October of that year, Amazon was recognized as the largest online shopping retailer in the world.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2013/01/14/bezos-i-never-expected|title=Bezos: I never expected this'|date=January 4, 2013|work=Digital Commerce 360|access-date=March 11, 2018|archive-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724032133/https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2013/01/14/bezos-i-never-expected/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jeff Bezos' iconic laugh.jpg|thumb|upright|Bezos in 2010]]
In May 2016, Bezos sold slightly more than one million shares of his holdings in the company for $671&nbsp;million, the largest sum he had ever raised from selling some of his Amazon stock.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.insidermole.com/insider/bezos-jeffrey-p/transactions|title=Bezos Jeffrey P.: Insider Trading Transactions|publisher=InsiderMole.com|access-date=July 14, 2016|archive-date=August 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816081439/https://www.insidermole.com/insider/bezos-jeffrey-p/transactions|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 4, 2016, Bezos sold another million of his shares for $756.7&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.davemanuel.com/net-worth/jeff-bezos|title=Jeff Bezos Net Worth|website=Davemanuel.com|access-date=December 29, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230114711/https://www.davemanuel.com/net-worth/jeff-bezos| archive-date=December 30, 2017}}</ref> A year later, Bezos took on 130,000 new employees when he ramped up hiring at company distribution centers.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/amazon-posts-profits-of-19-billion-its-highest-ever/2018/02/01/402aa9c2-06c5-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html |title=Amazon posts quarterly profit of $1.9&nbsp;billion, its highest ever|last=Bhattarai|first=Abha|date=February 1, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|issn=0190-8286|access-date=March 9, 2018|archive-date=March 10, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180310135605/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/amazon-posts-profits-of-19-billion-its-highest-ever/2018/02/01/402aa9c2-06c5-11e8-94e8-e8b8600ade23_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> By January 19, 2018, his Amazon stock holdings had appreciated to slightly over $109&nbsp;billion; months later he began to sell stock to raise cash for other enterprises, in particular, [[Blue Origin]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bezos-amazon-blue-origin-20180312-story.html|title=Bezos is putting $1&nbsp;billion a year into rocket-maker Blue Origin by selling Amazon stock|agency=Bloomberg|date=March 12, 2018|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=April 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430114728/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bezos-amazon-blue-origin-20180312-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On January 29, 2018, he was featured in Amazon's [[Super Bowl commercials|Super Bowl commercial]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308222|title=Billionaire Jeff Bezos Will Star in Amazon's Super Bowl Ad|last=Belanger|first=Lydia|date=January 29, 2018|work=Entrepreneur|access-date=April 7, 2018|archive-date=April 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408010023/https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/308222 |url-status=live }}</ref> On February 1, 2018, Amazon reported its highest ever profit with quarterly [[earnings]] of $2&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-results/amazon-posts-largest-profit-in-its-history-on-sales-tax-boost-idUSKBN1FL6H0|title=Amazon posts largest profit in its history on sales, tax boost|last=Dastin|first=Jeffrey|date=February 1, 2018|work=Reuters|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=April 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430114537/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-amazon-com-results/amazon-posts-largest-profit-in-its-history-on-sales-tax-boost-idUSKBN1FL6H0|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to the growth of [[Alibaba Group|Alibaba]] in China, Bezos has often expressed interest in expanding Amazon into [[India]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/after-losing-china-jeff-bezos-really-wants-to-win-in-india/articleshow/63204865.cms|title=After losing China, Jeff Bezos really wants to win in India|agency=Bloomberg|date=March 9, 2018|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=April 30, 2018|archive-date=June 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180611184844/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/after-losing-china-jeff-bezos-really-wants-to-win-in-india/articleshow/63204865.cms|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 27, 2017, Bezos momentarily became the [[The World's Billionaires|world's wealthiest person]] over [[Microsoft]] co-founder [[Bill Gates]] when his estimated [[net worth]] increased to just over $90&nbsp;billion. His wealth surpassed $100&nbsp;billion for the first time on November 24, 2017, and he was formally designated the wealthiest person in the world by ''[[Forbes]]'' on March 6, 2018, with a net worth of $112&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/billions/2018/09/04/jeff-bezos-is-18-billion-richer-as-amazons-market-cap-briefly-hits-1-trillion/|title=Jeff Bezos Is $1.8 Billion Richer As Amazon's Market Cap Briefly Hits $1 Trillion|magazine=Forbes|date=September 4, 2018|last=Debter|first=Lauren|access-date=June 19, 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621183449/https://www.forbes.com/sites/billions/2018/09/04/jeff-bezos-is-18-billion-richer-as-amazons-market-cap-briefly-hits-1-trillion/|archive-date=June 21, 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Naturalization Ceremony (27590970472).jpg|thumb|left|Bezos receives the [[Smithsonian Institution|James Smithson Bicentennial]] medal on June 14, 2016, for his work with Amazon.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yoursurvivalguy.com/financial-security/the-benefits-of-billionaires/|title=The Benefits of Billionaires|date=March 20, 2019|website=Young Research & Publishing Inc.|access-date=October 10, 2021|archive-date=October 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010183229/https://www.yoursurvivalguy.com/financial-security/the-benefits-of-billionaires/|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
In March 2018, Bezos dispatched Amit Agarwal, Amazon's global senior vice president, to India with $5.5&nbsp;billion to localize operations throughout the company's [[supply chain]] routes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-05/five-things-you-need-to-know-to-start-your-day-jeeqzcof|title=Five Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day|work=Bloomberg News|date=March 5, 2018|access-date=March 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306010642/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-03-05/five-things-you-need-to-know-to-start-your-day-jeeqzcof|archive-date=March 6, 2018|url-status=live }}</ref> Later in the month, U.S. President Donald Trump accused Amazon and Bezos, specifically, of [[sales tax]] avoidance, misusing [[Mail|postal routes]], and [[Anti-competitive practices|anti-competitive]] business practices.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/forget-zuckerberg-trump-is-obsessed-with-breaking-jeff-bezos|title=Forget Zuckerberg: Why Trump Is "Obsessed" with Breaking Bezos|last=Kosoff|first=Maya|work=The Hive|access-date=January 2, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810055258/https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/03/forget-zuckerberg-trump-is-obsessed-with-breaking-jeff-bezos|archive-date=August 10, 2020}}</ref> Amazon's share price fell by 9% in response to the President's negative comments; this reduced Bezos's personal wealth by $10.7&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2018/03/29/amazon-stock-amzn-jeff-bezos-net-worth|title=The World's Richest Man Just Lost $10.7 Billion as Trump Tweets About Amazon|last=Shen|first=Lucinda|date=January 2, 2018|work=Fortune|access-date=April 4, 2018|archive-date=April 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180404090913/http://fortune.com/2018/03/29/amazon-stock-amzn-jeff-bezos-net-worth/|url-status=live}}</ref> Weeks later, Bezos recouped his losses when academic reports out of [[Stanford University]] indicated that Trump could do little to regulate Amazon in any meaningful way.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-a-trump-led-antitrust-case-against-amazon-is-a-long-shot-1522501200|title=Why a Trump-Led Antitrust Case Against Amazon Is a Long Shot|last=Stevens|first=Laura|date=April 9, 2018|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=April 9, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180408183802/https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-a-trump-led-antitrust-case-against-amazon-is-a-long-shot-1522501200|archive-date=April 8, 2018}}</ref> During July 2018, a number of members of the U.S. Congress called on Bezos to detail the applications of Amazon's [[Facial recognition system|face recognition]] software, [[Amazon Rekognition|Rekognition]].<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.fastcompany.com/90209707/congress-demands-jeff-bezos-explain-amazons-face-recognition-software| title=Congress demands Jeff Bezos explain Amazon's face recognition software|magazine=Fast Company|date=July 26, 2018|last=Captain|first=Sean|access-date=July 26, 2018|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727224612/https://www.fastcompany.com/90209707/congress-demands-jeff-bezos-explain-amazons-face-recognition-software|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Jeff Bezos-171027-F-DC888008 (25610066788).jpg|thumb|upright|Bezos on October 25, 2017, on his visit to [[Los Angeles Air Force Base]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/129133022@N07/25610066788/|title=171027-F-DC888008|date=December 31, 2011|via=Flickr|access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307071819/https://www.flickr.com/photos/129133022@N07/25610066788/|url-status=live}}</ref>]]
Criticism of Amazon's business practices continued in September 2018 when Senator [[Bernie Sanders]] introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies (Stop BEZOS) Act and accused Amazon of receiving [[corporate welfare]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-stop-bezos-act-senate/|title=Bernie Sanders introduces 'Stop BEZOS Act'|first=Abha|last=Bhattarai|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914152737/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/09/05/bernie-sanders-introduces-stop-bezos-act-senate/|url-status=live}}</ref> This followed revelations by the non-profit group New Food Economy which found that one third of Amazon workers in [[Arizona]], and one tenth of Amazon workers in [[Pennsylvania]] and [[Ohio]], relied on food stamps.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/5/17819450/bernie-sanders-stop-bezos-amazon-worker-pay-corporate-welfare-tax-bill|title=Bernie Sanders introduces 'Stop BEZOS' bill to tax Amazon for underpaying workers|first=Adi|last=Robertson|website=The Verge|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914131936/https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/5/17819450/bernie-sanders-stop-bezos-amazon-worker-pay-corporate-welfare-tax-bill|url-status=live}}</ref> While preparing to introduce the bill, Sanders opined: "Instead of attempting to explore Mars or go to the moon, how about Jeff Bezos pays his workers a living wage?"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/5/17822810/bernie-sanders-bill-bezos-amazon-ro-khanna|title=Bernie Sanders's BEZOS bill takes aim at how Amazon pays workers|first=Emily|last=Stewart|publisher=Vox|date=September 5, 2018|access-date= September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914094424/https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/5/17822810/bernie-sanders-bill-bezos-amazon-ro-khanna|url-status=live}}</ref> He later said: "Bezos could play a profound role. If he said today, nobody who is employed at Amazon will receive less than a living wage, it would send a message to every corporation in America."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-amazon-walmart-with-100-tax/|title=Bernie Sanders targets Amazon, Walmart with 100% tax|first=Kate|last=Gibson|publisher=CBS|date=September 5, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914131946/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bernie-sanders-amazon-walmart-with-100-tax/|url-status=live}}</ref> Sanders's efforts elicited a response from Amazon which pointed to the 130,000 jobs it created in 2017 and called the $28,446 figure for its median salary "misleading" as it included part-time workers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/response-to-senator-sanders|title=Response to Senator Sanders|date=August 29, 2018|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914005442/https://blog.aboutamazon.com/company-news/response-to-senator-sanders|url-status=live}}</ref> However, Sanders countered that the companies targeted by his proposal have placed an increased focus on part-time workers to escape benefit obligations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-amazon_us_5b8eecade4b0511db3dcfd55|title=What the Bernie Sanders Amazon welfare fight is really about|newspaper=[[HuffPost]]|date=September 5, 2018|first1=Arthur|last1=Delaney|first2=Dave|last2=Jamieson|access-date=September 14, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914181926/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-amazon_us_5b8eecade4b0511db3dcfd55|archive-date=September 14, 2018}}</ref> On October 2, 2018, Bezos announced a company-wide wage increase, which Sanders applauded.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/business/amazon-minimum-wage.html|title=Amazon to raise minimum wage to $15 for all U.S. workers|first=Karen|last=Weise|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=October 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181021233433/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/02/business/amazon-minimum-wage.html|archive-date=October 21, 2018}}</ref> The American workers who were being paid the minimum wage had this increased to $15 per hour, a decision that was interpreted as support for the [[Fight for $15]] movement.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/story/why-amazon-really-raised-minimum-wage/|title=Why Amazon really raised its minimum wage to $15|first=Louise|last=Matsakis|magazine=Wired|date=October 2, 2018|access-date=October 22, 2018|archive-date=October 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181030030200/https://www.wired.com/story/why-amazon-really-raised-minimum-wage/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2021, Bezos announced that in the [[Third quarter of a calendar year|third quarter]] of 2021 he would step down from his role as CEO of Amazon to become the Executive Chairman of the Amazon Board. He was succeeded as CEO by [[Andy Jassy]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Amazon.com Announces Financial Results and CEO Transition|url=https://ir.aboutamazon.com/news-release/news-release-details/2021/Amazon.com-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-Results/default.aspx|access-date=|website=|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210202211950/https://ir.aboutamazon.com/news-release/news-release-details/2021/Amazon.com-Announces-Fourth-Quarter-Results/default.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Weise|first=Karen|date=February 2, 2021|title=Jeff Bezos to Step Down as Amazon C.E.O.|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202211253/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/jeff-bezos-amazon.html |archive-date=February 2, 2021 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=February 2, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Gartenberg|first1=Chaim|date=February 2, 2021|title=Amazon will have a new CEO as Jeff Bezos transitions to executive chair later this year|work=The Verge|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/2/22263039/amazon-new-ceo-jeff-bezos-andy-jassy-executive-chair-board-q3-2021|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=June 2, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602172459/https://www.theverge.com/2021/2/2/22263039/amazon-new-ceo-jeff-bezos-andy-jassy-executive-chair-board-q3-2021|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 2, 2021, Bezos sent an email<ref>{{cite web|title=Bezos' memo to fellow Amazonians|date=February 2, 2021|publisher=Amazon.com|url=https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/email-from-jeff-bezos-to-employees|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202225200/https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/company-news/email-from-jeff-bezos-to-employees|url-status=live}}</ref> to all Amazon employees, telling them the transition would give him "the time and energy [he] need[s] to focus on the [[#Day 1 Fund|Day 1 Fund]], the [[Bezos Earth Fund]], [[Blue Origin]], [[The Washington Post]], and [his] other passions."<ref name=StillCEOTillThirdQuarter>{{cite web|title=NBC News reports Jeff Bezos' intention to stand down as CEO of Amazon in the third quarter of 2021|website=[[NBC]] News|date=February 2, 2021|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/jeff-bezos-steps-down-amazon-ceo-n1256540|access-date=February 2, 2021|archive-date=February 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202221303/https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/jeff-bezos-steps-down-amazon-ceo-n1256540|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2024, Bezos sold 24 million shares in Amazon at a total value of $4 billion. Bezos announced that he intended to sell 50 million shares in Amazon over the next year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68277678|title=Amazon founder Jeff Bezos sells shares worth over $4bn|website=BBC News|date=14 February 2024|access-date=14 February 2024|archive-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214172622/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68277678|url-status=live}}</ref> During an interview at the [[DealBook]] Summit in December 2024, Bezos said that he was dedicating 95% of his time to artificial intelligence initiatives at Amazon.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mann |first=Jyoti |date=December 5, 2024 |title=Jeff Bezos says he's 'putting a lot of time' in at Amazon to help it become an AI winner |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-ai-efforts-blue-origin-2024-12 |website=Business Insider |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241205142840/https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-amazon-ai-efforts-blue-origin-2024-12 |archive-date=December 5, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Del Rey |first=Jason |date=December 9, 2024 |title=Amazon's top AI exec says industry concerns that LLMs hit a 'wall' are overblown, says Jeff Bezos 'very involved' in AI efforts |url=https://fortune.com/2024/12/09/amazon-rohit-prasad-ai-wall-new-dimension-alexa-brainstormai/ |work=Fortune |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241210030011/https://fortune.com/2024/12/09/amazon-rohit-prasad-ai-wall-new-dimension-alexa-brainstormai/ |archive-date=December 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>