Investigation: Amazon buys and destroys rare books to scan them for AI training
Amazon is buying large quantities of books, scanning them for AI training data, and destroying the printed copies in the process, according to a 404 Media investigation published Aug 17, 2026. The investigation revealed Amazon's book-buying operation, which had not been previously reported, by placing a tracking device inside a rare book suspected of being acquired by an AI company. The shipment traveled from California through Milwaukee, Kenosha, Colorado Springs, and a truck stop in Grand Jun
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