Applications are open for the next two weeks and 10 startups will be chosen, according to the company…reports Asian Lite News
Amazon has now entered the growing generative artificial intelligence (AI) market, with launching an AI accelerator to help startups working in the field.
The Amazon Web Services (AWS) ‘Generative AI Accelerator’ is a global programme for 10 Generative AI startups that can demonstrate early-stage traction.
Selected startups will get up to $300,000 in AWS credits to help build their AI services and solutions.
Applications are open for the next two weeks and 10 startups will be chosen, according to the company.
“Ideally, you’ll have a minimum viable product (MVP) already developed and your eyes set on seed-stage funding, with plans to raise in the next 18 months,” said Amazon.
“We welcome machine learning startups with technical leads who are leveraging cloud technologies, or who plan to. If you have game-changing ambitions in the Generative AI space, we want to support you,” the company informed.
The company has announced a kick-off event in-person in the San Francisco Bay Area in the US from May 24-25 and a Demo day on July 26-27 to showcase the progress of its AI accelerator.
“Upon completion of the 10-week programme, you’ll pitch to the Generative AI community — including investors, press and customers — to raise awareness for your company,” said Amazon.
The Generative AI market is currently led by Microsoft-owned OpenAI via ChatGPT and AI-powered Bing Search, with Google trying hard to disrupt the space with its AI service called Bard.
Amazon to shut online bookstore ‘Book Depository’
Amazon has announced that it will shut down its UK-based online bookstore ‘Book Depository’, which it acquired in 2011, on April 26.
According to The Guardian, this comes after Amazon announced it had decided to ‘eliminate’ a number of positions across its Devices and Books businesses.
Stuart Felton and Andrew Crawford, former Amazon employees, founded Book Depository in 2004 with the mantra of selling ‘less of more’ rather than ‘more of less’, the report said.
The company sent out an email to vendors and publishing partners explaining that Book Depository will be closing and that the last date customers will be able to place orders is April 26.
“Over the coming weeks, we will complete a winding down of the business, including discontinuing our listings as a marketplace seller and closing our website,” Andy Chart, head of vendor management, was quoted as saying.
“I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you, from everyone at Book Depository and our book-loving customers, for your supportive partnership over the years in helping us to make printed books more accessible to readers around the world,” he added
The report said that this move is part of wider cutbacks at Amazon which it announced in January.
Meanwhile, Amazon has announced that it will be shutting down its go-to camera reviews website ‘DPReview’ in the near future after nearly 25 years of operation.
“The site will remain active until April 10, and the editorial team is still working on reviews and looking forward to delivering some of our best-ever content,” said Scott Everett, General Manager of DPReview.com.
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