Amazon.com, Inc. (/ˈæməzɒn/ AM-ə-zon) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economic and cultural forces in the world", and is one of the world's most valuable brands. It is one of the Big Five American information technology companies, alongside Alphabet, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. Amazon has been criticized for customer data collection practices, a toxic work culture, tax avoidance, and anti-competitive behavior.