An AI version of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos recently made a trip to Berlin. The experience was so eye-opening that, according to a new video, he has agreed to the demands of a protest group campaigning against his new Amazon tower.

AI Jeff Bezos says Amazon has to change its ways

He came, he saw… and he decided to conquer a little more cooperatively, that was the narrative arc of AI Jeff Bezos’ recent trip to Berlin.

A new deepfake video released on YouTube by Berlin versus Amazon, a local group campaigning against the Amazon “Edge Tower”, an office building which is still under construction in the Friedrichshain neighbourhood, shows a post-epiphany Bezos recount his recent trip to the German city and his new determination to respect the employment rights and home of his future Amazon employees in the capital.

In an impressive and uncanny, but obviously AI-generated speech, Bezos introduces himself as “the overlord of the corporate board”. The deepfake entrepreneur cuts to the chase saying, “Listen, I know it will surprise you all but I’ve had a change of heart about our company’s involvement with Berlin. I’ve been visiting Berlin for a few days and I’ve learned a lot.”

Speaking to Berliner Morgenpost, a Berlin versus Amazon member named Morten explained that the group wanted it to be clear that the video was fake, “and the means were limited of course,” the activist added. The style intended? That of a “cheesy corporate advertising video”.

Video: Berlin Versus Amazon / YouTube

What are the 14 demands of Berlin versus Amazon?

The video then goes on to show grainy footage of the bald billionaire strolling around the city, having some relaxed fun in Friedrichshain and admitting that his holiday has made him realise that “life is too short to be an a**hole, Amazon has to change its ways. That’s why I’m announcing today that I’m going to get Amazon to accept Berlin versus Amazon’s 14 demands for workers, the community and the planet.”

The campaign group centres some of its demands around the people and neighbourhood of Friedrichshain, but also looks further afield. Among them is the demand for a fair wage and adequate time off for Amazon employees, the recognition of workers’ councils, that Amazon should cease to collect data from employees and customers, and that the company should fight gentrification in the Friedrichshain neighbourhood and support the development of social housing.

The manifesto also calls on Bezos to stop all schemes to avoid tax at the "municipal, regional, national and international level” and “abandon the current business model based on ever-increasing consumption.”

In 2021 Amazon’s carbon footprint increased by 18 percent, generating about as much CO2 as 180 gas-fired power plants. In 2022, annual net sales increased by 9 percent and the company made 5,14 billion US dollars, 14,2 million of which was spent on anti-union consultants.

“We recognise that these Leadership Principles will make it difficult for Amazon to be profitable,” the manifesto concludes, “Too bad! Amazon’s profits should not come at the expense of workers, communities and the planet.”

Thumb image credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com