WEBVTT - TRAILER Foundering: The Amazon Story

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<v Speaker 1>We have been employees of Amazon for like a week,

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<v Speaker 1>but they had still not told us anything. They said, no,

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<v Speaker 1>we have to tell you in a closed room. So

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<v Speaker 1>we all got in the room together. They closed the door,

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<v Speaker 1>locked the door, put paper over the window in the door.

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<v Speaker 1>It was very hush hush, and then they said, imagine

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<v Speaker 1>something the size of a coke can and people will

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<v Speaker 1>be able to talk to it. And we thought, the

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<v Speaker 1>technology isn't there yet, it doesn't exist yet. Jeff Bezos

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<v Speaker 1>wants to be seen as an inventor. We love to invent,

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<v Speaker 1>We loved to pioneer. We even like going down alleys

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<v Speaker 1>that turn out to be blind allies. He wants Amazon

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<v Speaker 1>to be seen as an innovator. Talk to us about

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<v Speaker 1>that fulfillment center. I don't see too many humans. Help

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<v Speaker 1>us understand the amount of robots you have versus the

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<v Speaker 1>amount of people you employ. A tech giant that drives

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<v Speaker 1>social and technological change. I was like, Okay, this is amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>This is clearly an important moment technology. I was funnish, Right,

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<v Speaker 1>how the hell did they do that? And by all accounts,

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<v Speaker 1>Bezos got everything he wished for this. There's like no comparison,

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<v Speaker 1>said Jeff Bezos is actually the richest person in modern histories,

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<v Speaker 1>and in terms of just ship billions being accumulated that

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<v Speaker 1>there's really nothing in history to compare. But as Amazon

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<v Speaker 1>grew and Beazos became wealthier and wealthier, something began to change.

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<v Speaker 1>Amazon was ranked one of the twelve worst companies to

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<v Speaker 1>work for, but many Amazon staffers say the demand for

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<v Speaker 1>greater speed is the leading factor harming warehouse workers. Bezos

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<v Speaker 1>became a target. They saw him as a villain, a

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<v Speaker 1>ruthless capitalist. The pressure grew stronger and stronger. Protesters marched

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<v Speaker 1>down thirty fourth Street intent to vent their anger at Amazon,

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<v Speaker 1>and then Bezos made another surprising move. Jeff Bezos is

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<v Speaker 1>stepping down. The announcement sent shock waves to the business

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<v Speaker 1>and tech commune. And Hi, I'm your host, brad Stone.

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<v Speaker 1>This season on Foundering will take you inside Amazon's quest

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<v Speaker 1>for world domination. Amazon is no question one of the

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<v Speaker 1>most spectacular business stories of our times, and Bezos is

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<v Speaker 1>a visionary. But he never could have foreseen how dramatically

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<v Speaker 1>Amazon and his personal wealth would change him and in

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<v Speaker 1>the process, alter our modern society. Check us out Foundering,

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<v Speaker 1>a podcast from Bloomberg Technology. Listen wherever you get your

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<v Speaker 1>podcasts