Recent Outages Impacting Amazon Users
On March 5, 2026, Amazon faced significant outages that disrupted services for thousands of users. Reports began flooding in around 2:15 p.m., with more than 18,000 individuals noting issues accessing the site, which resulted in various page errors.
As the situation unfolded, reports of problems peaked but began to decline shortly after 2:20 p.m. However, issues resurfaced around 3:00 p.m., indicating ongoing challenges for the e-commerce giant. By 7 p.m., the number of Amazon-related reports on Downdetector had decreased to fewer than 1,300, suggesting that services were being restored.
During the outages, shoppers encountered various issues, including difficulties with checkout processes, payment errors, and fluctuating prices on items. Additionally, Amazon Fresh was notably affected, with users unable to place pickup or delivery orders.
Concerns regarding the outages were amplified by comments from notable figures in the tech industry. Elon Musk advised Amazon to “proceed with caution” amid reports suggesting that AI-assisted coding changes could be contributing to these disruptions.
Internal memos revealed that Amazon had experienced four critical incidents within a single week, all linked to AI-assisted changes. This raised alarms about the reliability of their internal AI coding assistant, known as ‘Kiro,’ which has been reported to generate flawed code.
In response to these incidents, Amazon has implemented stricter controls requiring senior approval for AI-generated code changes made by junior and mid-level engineers. This move highlights the company’s recognition of the growing pains associated with integrating generative AI tools into their operations.
While Amazon has faced outages in the past, many of which were unrelated to AI, the recent problems underscore a significant shift in the company’s operational dynamics as they increasingly rely on AI technologies. Reports indicate that up to 75% of code pushed in some contexts is now assisted by AI.
Despite the restoration of services, uncertainties remain regarding the exact causes of the outages, as Amazon has not publicly confirmed the details. It is also unclear whether all incidents were directly linked to the AI-generated code changes.
As Amazon continues to navigate these challenges, the implications of their reliance on AI tools will be closely monitored by both consumers and industry experts.
