Amazon service Bezos once called 'artificial artificial intelligence' is shutting down

Amazon's Mechanical Turk, a service that crowdsources small tasks to human workers, is shutting down. Launched in 2005, Mechanical Turk was initially seen as a way to leverage human intelligence to complete tasks that were difficult for computers to perform, such as data labeling and content moderation. The service allowed businesses and researchers to post small tasks, known as HITs, which workers could complete for a fee.

The shutdown of Mechanical Turk marks the end of an era for a service that was once hailed as a innovative way to tap into human intelligence. However, over the years, the service has faced criticism for its treatment of workers, who are often paid low wages and have limited protections. The rise of more sophisticated AI technologies has also reduced the need for human-powered services like Mechanical Turk. In recent years, Amazon has increasingly turned to its own AI-powered services, such as SageMaker, to provide more efficient and cost-effective solutions for tasks like data labeling and machine learning.

As the Mechanical Turk service comes to a close, traders will be watching to see how Amazon's AI strategy evolves in the future. The company's investments in AI and machine learning have been a key driver of growth in its cloud computing business, and any further advancements in these areas could have significant implications for the broader tech industry. Additionally, traders may be keeping an eye on how Amazon's decision to shutter Mechanical Turk impacts the company's reputation and relationships with its workforce, as well as any potential costs associated with winding down the service.

Originally reported by cnbc.com. Trade-News adds analysis for finance & markets readers.