How Amazon Has Reorganized Around Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning Posted on : Jul 17 - 2018

In honor of Amazon Prime Day, let’s take a look at the inner workings of this company that is pushing the bounds of innovation, not only with Amazon prime, but the many other cutting edge management strategies.

The company that sets the tone for so many aspects of customer experience is breaking down internal barriers and showing how other companies can do the same. Amazon, a leader in customer experience innovation, has taken things to the next level by re-organizing the company around its AI and machine learning efforts.

Amazon Uses An AI Management Strategy Called The Flywheel

Amazon’s approach to AI is called a flywheel. In engineering terms, a flywheel is a deceptively simple tool designed to efficiently store rotational energy. It works by storing energy when a machine isn’t working at a constant level. Instead of wasting energy turning on and off, the flywheel keeps the energy constant and spreads it to other areas of the machine.

At Amazon, the flywheel approach keeps AI innovation humming along and encourages energy and knowledge to spread to other areas of the company. Amazon’s flywheel approach means that innovation around machine learning in one area of the company fuels the efforts of other teams. Those teams use the technology to drive their products, which impacts innovation throughout the entire organization. Essentially, what is created in one part of Amazon acts as a catalyst for AI and machine learning growth in other areas. Amazon is no stranger to AI. The company was one of the first to use the technology to drive its product recommendations. But as AI and machine learning grow, the flywheel approach has become a keystone to Amazon’s expanding business – a central stone at the summit of the company, connecting the organization together. This is particularly unique at a time when many companies silo their AI efforts and don’t integrate them into the overall company.

AI Is Not Located In One Particular Office At Amazon – It’s Everywhere

AI isn’t located in a single office at Amazon, and information is spread throughout departments. Machine learning technology is used by the product recommendation team to improve its product forecasts, and those insights are shared throughout the company. AI and machine learning powers three popular Amazon products: Alexa, the Amazon Go Store, and the Amazon recommendation engine. View More