Amazon is closing Mechanical Turk, the human workforce it sold as AI

Amazon will permanently close its Mechanical Turk marketplace on 30 September 2026, ending a 21-year platform that linked more than 500,000 workers in 190 countries to micro-tasks such as data labeling, audio transcription, and surveys. The shutdown follows a prolonged decline, reduced investment, competition from platforms like Scale AI and Prolific, and a 2023 study showing 46% of workers used AI to complete tasks, prompting insurers and travel firms to seek alternatives within the 35-day notice period.