Amazon AI Lab Head David Luan Departs to Pursue New AI Endeavors
Key Points
- David Luan, head of Amazon's San Francisco AI lab, announced his departure after less than two years.
- He plans to leave at the end of the week to focus on new AI projects and teaching AI new capabilities.
- Luan highlighted the closeness of artificial general intelligence as a motivating factor.
- His exit coincides with internal criticism of Amazon's AI products, dubbed "Amazon Basics" by some employees.
- Amazon recently rolled out Alexa Plus to U.S. users, though some early adopters prefer the original Alexa.
- Luan joined Amazon in 2024 with colleagues from his startup Adept, which developed AI‑agent technology licensed by Amazon.
- At Amazon, he led work on the Nova AI models, including the Nova Act agent launched as a research preview in March.
- Nova Act can perform web searches, make purchases, and answer questions, and was integrated into Alexa Plus at launch.
David Luan, who led Amazon's San Francisco artificial intelligence laboratory and oversaw the development of the Nova Act AI browser agent, announced his departure after less than two years with the company. In a LinkedIn post, Luan said he would leave at the end of the week to focus on new projects, emphasizing the proximity of artificial general intelligence and his desire to devote his time to teaching AI new capabilities. His exit occurs as Amazon faces internal criticism of its AI products and rolls out the Alexa Plus assistant to U.S. users.
Departure Announcement
David Luan, the head of Amazon’s San Francisco AI lab, posted on LinkedIn that he will leave the company at the end of the week. In his brief statement, Luan explained that he is stepping away to "cook up something new" and to spend all of his time on teaching AI systems brand‑new capabilities, noting that artificial general intelligence is close. The announcement comes after a tenure of less than two years at Amazon.
Impact on Amazon's AI Strategy
Luan’s departure arrives at a moment when Amazon is grappling with internal and external perceptions of its AI offerings. Some employees have informally referred to the company’s in‑house AI products as "Amazon Basics," suggesting a view that the technology may not be keeping pace with competitors. Recently, Amazon introduced Alexa Plus, a revamped AI assistant, to all users in the United States. Early feedback indicates that a portion of users prefer the original Alexa experience, highlighting challenges Amazon faces in gaining broad acceptance for its latest AI features.
Background and Contributions
David Luan joined Amazon in 2024 alongside other members of his startup, Adept, which had been developing AI‑agent technology that Amazon later licensed. At Amazon, Luan played a central role in advancing the Nova AI models, most notably the Nova Act AI agent. Nova Act launched as a research preview in March and is capable of conducting web searches, making purchases, and answering user questions. Amazon announced that the agent was already integrated into Alexa Plus at the time of its launch, underscoring its strategic importance within the company’s broader AI roadmap.
The loss of a senior AI developer like Luan is significant for Amazon, which is striving to maintain momentum in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence race. While the company continues to invest in new AI products and services, Luan’s decision to focus on independent AI research reflects a broader industry trend of talent moving toward projects aimed at achieving general intelligence.