Amazon CEO Andy Jassy warns AI will shrink corporate jobs
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has told employees that artificial intelligence (AI) will significantly reduce the company's corporate workforce in the coming years, emphasizing the need for staff to embrace the technology.
In a memo to employees on Tuesday, Jassy urged teams to "be curious about AI" as the company integrates the technology "in virtually every corner of the business." He acknowledged that while AI will eliminate certain roles, it will also create new opportunities requiring different skills.
'We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,' he wrote. 'It's hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce.'
Amazon, which employed over 1.5 million people globally at the end of last year—including approximately 350,000 in corporate roles—has joined a growing list of tech giants ramping up AI use. Jassy highlighted that half a million sellers on Amazon's platform already use AI tools to manage product listings, and advertisers are increasingly leveraging its AI offerings.
As AI becomes more capable of handling routine tasks, Jassy expects new kinds of digital agents to emerge that can perform shopping, scheduling, and other day-to-day responsibilities. 'Many of these agents have yet to be built, but make no mistake, they're coming and coming fast,' he added.
The statement comes amid widespread industry concern that generative AI—now able to write code, produce content, and analyze data—could displace millions of entry-level and white-collar jobs. Prominent figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton have warned that AI may permanently eliminate large swaths of traditional employment.
Jassy concluded by stating that those who adapt to AI will be "well-positioned" at Amazon, but left no doubt that the corporate workforce is set to become leaner as AI adoption accelerates.
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