Amazon shifts AI focus to new frontier models

Amazon is moving away from many of its top AI tools. The company has begun phasing out several flagship models, such as the high‑end Premier and Omni versions. Other popular tools like the Reel video generator and Canvas image creator are also being retired.

Instead of letting these products sit idle, Amazon is pouring resources into a new line of “frontier” models. Researcher Pieter Abbeel is leading this effort, and the company has made frontier research a top priority for the year. The first model from this new family is set to appear at Amazon’s annual re:Invent conference later in the year.

This shift follows a recent reduction of staff in Amazon’s artificial general intelligence (AGI) team. The company said it was tightening its focus on projects that directly benefit customers.

While Amazon’s older Nova models have struggled to gain the same excitement as competitors like OpenAI or Google, the company remains committed to the Nova brand. New frontier models may carry the Nova name in the future, keeping the line alive for enterprise users.

The Nova family also includes lighter versions like Nova 2 Lite and Nova 2 Sonic, as well as a service called Nova Forge that lets customers build their own AI models.

Since 2023, Amazon’s AGI work has seen many changes and leadership shifts.