Amazon AGI Lab Chief Departs Amid Industry Scrutiny

David Luan, the executive brought in to lead Amazon’s ambitious artificial general intelligence (AGI) research lab, is leaving the company. His departure, announced Tuesday, comes less than two years after Amazon acquired his startup, Adept, in a move that brought Luan and key staff to the tech giant.

Luan stated on LinkedIn he will exit at the week’s end 'to cook up something new.' He expressed confidence in Amazon’s ongoing work but noted his personal decision stems from a belief that AGI—AI matching or exceeding human capability—is imminent. 'With AGI so close, I decided to spend 100% of my time on teaching AI systems brand new capabilities,' he wrote.

Amazon appointed Luan in late 2024 to helm the San Francisco-based lab, tasked with long-term research including the development of practical AI agents. The group later released the Nova Act agent, part of Amazon's push to compete with models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

His exit follows a significant internal reorganization late last year that placed the AGI division under Peter DeSantis, a senior vice president in Amazon’s cloud unit. The company’s 2024 deal for Adept, which included licensing technology and hiring personnel, did not disclose financial terms.

Such 'acqui-hire' agreements have drawn regulatory attention. The Federal Trade Commission, under Chairman Andrew Ferguson, opened a probe into the Adept hiring in 2024 and has since indicated a broader review of whether these deals help companies sidestep regulatory scrutiny. The practice has also been examined by lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren.

Amazon declined to comment on Luan’s departure.

Source: CNBC