By Gareth Vipers
Amazon.com Chief Executive Officer Andy Jassy said the company would use the next year to focus on expanding rural delivery, investing heavily in robotics technology and generative artificial intelligence to better serve its customers.
For the third consecutive year, Jassy used his annual shareholder letter to highlight Amazon's vision for AI as a key driver of its next phase of growth. He also reinforced the company's ambition to give priority to "ever-faster delivery" on orders as well as providing high-speed internet access to rural communities across the world.
Here are some of the main takeaways from Jassy's letter:
Artificial Intelligence
In the 5,000-word letter, Jassy describes artificial intelligence as a once-in-a-generation technological shift that will transform nearly every customer experience and have an impact on industries from shopping and entertainment to healthcare and software development.
He announced plans to invest approximately $200 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, largely focused on the company's AI infrastructure.
"We're not investing approximately $200 billion in capex in 2026 on a hunch," he said. "AI is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where the current growth is unprecedented and the future growth even bigger."
Amazon is investing aggressively in AI infrastructure, including custom chips and data centers, he said, adding that he expects AI to drive the company's next major wave of growth.
A key theme of the letter was how Jassy expects AI to become much cheaper over time, mainly due to improvements in chips and efficiency. Lower costs, he argues, will unlock broader adoption and accelerate innovation.
Leo Satellite Launch
Jassy describes Amazon Leo, the company's low Earth orbit satellite network, as a long-term bet to expand global connectivity.
The goal of the project, which is officially scheduled to launch later this year, is to deliver reliable internet access to underserved and remote areas around the world that lack traditional infrastructure, Jassy said.
Jassy frames this as both a large business opportunity and a meaningful customer problem to solve. By providing affordable, high-quality internet, Amazon can reach millions of people and businesses who are currently offline or poorly served, he said.
He also emphasized that building the network requires significant upfront investment -- including launching thousands of satellites and developing ground infrastructure -- but believes it can become a major, long-term growth area for Amazon.
Robotics
Jassy highlighted robotics as a key driver of efficiency and innovation within Amazon's operations, particularly its fulfillment network.
Amazon has been investing heavily in robotics for years to improve speed, costs and workplace safety, he said, adding that the company was increasingly focusing on how robotics and AI can work together to solve problems and increase efficiency.
He outlined several developments in Amazon's use of robotics, which now includes more than one million robots operating in fulfillment centers, adding that the company was "still in the early stages of how we'll leverage robotics."
Same-Day and Drone Delivery
Rapid, same-day delivery would continue as a focus for the company, Jassy said. Prime Air, Amazon's drone delivery service, was a key priority over the next 12 months.
"Prime Air now has a design that'll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes)," he said.
Over the past year, the company has rolled out Amazon Now -- an ultrafast delivery service on thousands of items within 20 minutes -- in India and the United Arab Emirates, he said, adding that the service would soon expand to the U.S. and Europe.
Rural Expansion
Amazon has made an effort to prioritize remote communities, spending over $4 billion to expand its rural delivery network, Jassy said. Because they are more expensive to serve due to their remote locations, rural customers have often been overlooked by logistics and telecommunications companies, he said.
In 2025, same-day customers in rural areas nearly doubled from a year earlier, Jassy said, with the goal of delivering over a billion packages each year to customers living in rural areas.
Write to Gareth Vipers at gareth.vipers@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 09, 2026 08:32 ET (12:32 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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