# Amazon tells engineers to be pickier about AI, discouraging tokenmaxxing

> Original title: Amazon's anti-tokenmaxxing memo says engineers should be pickier about using AI

- Source: CNBC · Technology
- Published: 2026-10-27T18:57:45.000Z
- Bad Influence: https://badinfluence.news/items/p0bqdufvjhwowp416j7k9mv1h
- Original: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/27/amazon-ai-coding-tokenmaxxing.html

## Summary

Amazon's internal memo, circulated in September and posted Tuesday, says metrics such as token usage, AI tool adoption rates and code changes remain "deeply flawed" measures of AI usage. The company says token usage and code generation should be weighed "with care and judgment" alongside other data, and that employees should not use AI when it does not benefit a task.