The AM Brief, Saturday June 13, 2026 Part 3
Hello,
It’s noon in Tampa and here is a recap of events that caught my eye. Part 3
Amazon disclosed that its data centers used 2.5 billion gallons of water globally in 2025, marking its first such public accounting. The company reports a water efficiency rate of 0.12 liters/kWh, claiming it is seven times more efficient than the industry average and a 2% year-over-year reduction in owned-site usage. While Amazon states it is 75% toward its 2030 "water positive" goal, the figures exclude colocation sites and electricity generation, complicating independent impact assessments. These figures omit water usage from colocation (partner) sites and water consumed during electricity generation, which limits the full picture of the company's total environmental footprint.
Amazon executives are exploring a potential revival of the reality competition series The Apprentice for Prime Video. Preliminary internal discussions have identified Donald Trump Jr. as a possible host for the reboot, which would leverage the franchise Amazon acquired via its MGM purchase. While the original series was instrumental in launching the President’s national profile and returned to streaming in 2025, Amazon clarifies the project is not yet in active development. The move aligns with Amazon’s recent efforts to court a broader demographic, following its 2025 re-release of the original seven seasons. This project represents a key attempt to monetize the $8.5 billion MGM library acquisition through legacy intellectual property. Although Donald Trump Jr. is the primary name linked to the role, sources indicate he has not been formally approached as of June 2026.
Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Meta, and Tesla are set to spend up to $750 billion this year on AI infrastructure, including chips and data centers, more than doubling 2025 levels. While the scale reflects a massive bet on agentic systems and hardware, Wall Street remains divided on the timeline for ROI. The financial strain is already manifesting in corporate restructuring, notably with Meta’s planned 10% workforce reduction aimed at offsetting these heavy capital expenditures. The $750 billion figure represents one of the largest shifts in capital allocation in the history of the technology sector. The Meta reduction highlights a growing trend of "re skilling" or downsizing traditional roles to fund AI development. This spending level correlates with a massive spike in demand for nuclear and alternative energy to power new data center clusters.
Sources : CNBC, Bloomberg, Opening Bell, Epoch, Yardeni, Forbes, Rundown AI, Mario Nawfal, X
Thank you for reading
Live your best life,
AL Maulini