Actor Chris Hemsworth, famously known for his role as Thor, briefly appeared on Amazon’s internal organizational chart on Thursday morning, holding the unusual title of “Chief Heartthrob” for Alexa Devices, the division overseeing Amazon’s voice assistant. This stunt, designed to promote a Super Bowl commercial featuring Alexa’s AI capabilities, also saw Hemsworth assigned an Amazon email address and the high-profile role of bar raiser, helping with hiring decisions company-wide.
The stunt aimed to catch attention ahead of the Big Game, with Hemsworth humorously quoted on the chart about his hobbies, including
“snake wrangling, bear wrestling, hammer throwing and a nice cinnamon scrub.”
The commercial depicts Hemsworth imagining a series of fatal accidents caused by a sentient Alexa AI, from being crushed by a garage door to drowning in his pool, before Alexa reassures him it means no harm.
Super Bowl Ads Highlight Intense Competition Among AI Giants
Advertising spots during the Super Bowl come at an enormous cost, with this year’s prices reaching about $8 million for just 30 seconds of airtime. Amazon joins other AI players like Anthropic and OpenAI in running high-investment commercials to showcase advancements in artificial intelligence. This high-stakes advertising race reflects the escalating focus on AI technology in consumer products.
Amazon’s Stunt Draws Backlash Amid Large-Scale Layoffs
Despite the publicity stunt, Amazon’s theatrics seemed out of touch with its workforce, especially after recent corporate upheaval. Last week, Amazon announced layoffs affecting 16,000 corporate employees, including many contributors to the Alexa team. This reality clashed sharply with the lighthearted promotional effort, compounding employee frustration during a period of internal uncertainty.
The Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, also initiated significant cuts beginning Wednesday, eliminating about a third of its staff. Internal reactions to the Hemsworth stunt were swift and critical, with employees expressing their dismay on social media platforms used by Amazon workers. One wrote,
“This definitely makes up for the hollow feeling of cleaning out my peer’s desk and meeting him out front with his boxes given he was laid off last week.”
Another employee commented,
“It’s less of a joke than it is an insult to the rest of us.”
Amazon described the stunt as
“a fun internal Easter egg as we head into the Big Game this weekend,”
but declined to address employee concerns directly. Meanwhile, representatives for Chris Hemsworth did not reply to requests for comment.
Amazon Pushes Alexa’s AI Overhaul Amid Financial Pressure
Amazon recently announced its new Alexa+ service, powered by generative AI, will be available to all Prime members. Since its launch over ten years ago, Alexa has consistently operated at a loss, prompting Amazon to invest heavily in an AI-driven revamp to reverse this trend. This week’s commercial serves as a visible symbol of that effort, combining star power and AI innovation to reposition the voice assistant.
On the company’s internal platform, Hemsworth’s profile earned a variety of badges, including “flan enthusiast,” “CPR instructor,” and “proficient in Mandarin,” receiving nearly 500 acknowledgments from employees. However, by the end of Thursday, his role was adjusted, and he was listed as reporting to the head of devices and services, signaling a quick retraction of the initial stunt designation.
Implications for Amazon’s Culture and Employee Morale
The episode highlights the disconnect between Amazon’s external marketing pushes and the realities faced by its workforce amid a challenging economic backdrop. While Amazon seeks to amplify Alexa’s AI capabilities in the public eye, internally, the impact of layoffs and lowered morale is evident among staff. How Amazon navigates this tension in the coming months will be crucial as it balances innovation with workforce stability.
