For over a year, booksellers have suspected that AI firms were purchasing large lots of rare books only to destroy them after scanning. An investigation by 404 Media has now confirmed these suspicions, using a hidden AirTag in a rare book to track a bulk order directly to an Amazon AI training facility in Las Vegas.
The VGT3 Facility and the T-Rex Logo
The AirTag was tracked to an Amazon warehouse known as VGT3. The facility houses a team focused on "destructive scanning"—tearing books from their spines to scan pages more efficiently. In a move described as tone-deaf by critics, the warehouse door features a logo of a Tyrannosaurus rex preparing to devour a book. Amazon declined to comment specifically on AI training, stating only that it purchases books to "improve the products and services" for its customers.
ISBN Hunting and Historical Loss
The investigation suggests that Amazon is methodically targeting books with ISBN numbers to ensure a high volume of unique works in its training data. While competitors like Anthropic and xAI have stated they do not train on rare or antique books, Amazon appears to be seeking new sources of original text as existing supplies run low.
Booksellers and critics, including Michael Burry—who reportedly labeled the practice "evil incarnate"—are horrified by the permanent loss of historical and intellectual value. While some argue that these books were "gathering dust," others warn that the unique insights they contain will now be paywalled and potentially censored within proprietary AI models, rather than preserved for the public.
