Amazon employees pushed for Claude Code. Now they're getting it — and Codex, too.

In a significant move, Amazon is introducing Anthropic's Claude Code along with OpenAI's Codex to all its corporate staff, marking a shift from its internal Kiro tool. Jim Haughwout, VP of Amazon Software Builder Experience, announced the rollout in a memo to employees, confirming that Claude Code is now available company-wide, with Codex set to launch on May 12. These advanced coding tools will operate on Amazon Bedrock, managed through Amazon Web Services (AWS), allowing employees to leverage these resources without the complexity of infrastructure setup or capacity management. Haughwout emphasized the company's commitment to enhancing innovation for customers by broadening access to powerful AI tools. Previously, Claude Code had not received formal approval for production usage, necessitating special clearance for employees who preferred it over the in-house Kiro tool. This limitation had raised concerns among engineers who felt it hindered their productivity, especially as rival tools gained popularity. The decision to standardize access to Claude Code and Codex signals Amazon's growing collaboration with top AI labs like Anthropic and OpenAI. An Amazon spokesperson explained that the company is moving towards a unified access model for these tools, removing the need for individual approvals. They noted that while Kiro is still the primary tool for many teams, the integration of Claude Code and Codex on AWS reflects the belief that AI coding assistants are now essential rather than optional resources. By deploying these tools within its own cloud infrastructure, Amazon can maintain better control over data security and compliance, ensuring that employees have access to the latest AI models. Haughwout mentioned that both tools will be easily installable for all Amazon builders. Despite the new offerings, Kiro remains popular, being utilized by 83% of Amazon’s engineers. Amazon’s commitment to AI has been underscored by substantial investments in both Anthropic and OpenAI, including a recent partnership that could see up to $50 billion funneled into OpenAI in exchange for collaboration on AI services and technology. Additionally, Amazon has pledged up to $25 billion more to Anthropic, further solidifying its position in the AI landscape.