AWS CEO pushes back on AI job fears, says Amazon is hiring 11,000 graduates

As debate over artificial intelligence's impact on employment intensifies, Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman has dismissed predictions that AI will wipe out large numbers of entry-level office jobs, arguing instead that businesses risk making a serious mistake if they stop hiring young professionals.

Speaking on the Platformer podcast, Garman said concerns that AI would eliminate half of all junior white-collar roles were overstated. In his view, the technology is more likely to transform the nature of work than remove it altogether, creating new opportunities as existing roles evolve.

His comments come at a time when the technology industry remains divided over AI's long-term effect on employment, with some executives warning of widespread job losses while others see the technology driving productivity and creating entirely new categories of work.

AWS chief says AI will change jobs, not eliminate them

Garman was responding to recent remarks by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who predicted that AI could erase half of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. While acknowledging that AI will significantly alter how work is carried out, Garman argued that equating change with disappearance paints an unrealistic picture of the future.

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Drawing a comparison with Microsoft Excel, he noted that the spreadsheet software fundamentally changed office work without making office workers obsolete.

"The key thing is not to look at a still picture of the world and say that job's not going to exist, so I guess those people won't have jobs. New jobs will be created. I firmly believe this. If you believe half of jobs get wiped out, then the whole economy collapses on itself and everything goes away, and then you're not going to have AI, and you have to go back to those other jobs at some point. The math doesn't work out," Garman said during the podcast.

The broader AI debate has exposed contrasting views across the technology sector. While Amodei has repeatedly warned about significant disruption to junior office roles, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis has argued that AI could usher in dramatic scientific progress and even a future of "radical abundance", despite acknowledging the risks associated with the technology.

Garman's outlook also aligns with comments made by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, both of whom have argued that AI is likely to reshape work rather than permanently shrink employment.

Why Amazon is still investing in young professionals

Despite concerns surrounding automation, Garman said Amazon continues to see significant value in bringing new graduates into the organisation. According to him, early-career employees contribute fresh thinking, adapt quickly to emerging technologies and represent an important long-term investment for the company.

"This is the reason we're hiring 11,000 interns and new college grads this year at Amazon. They come in with an energy and excitement, a new view on things," he said.

He added that relying solely on experienced employees could limit innovation, arguing that organisations benefit from the different perspectives younger workers bring. Although some existing roles may disappear over time, he believes they will be replaced by new positions that are both more engaging and better suited to an AI-powered workplace.

Garman also stressed that continuous learning will be essential for employees hoping to remain relevant as AI becomes embedded across industries.

"I tell all of our employees — If you look at what your job was two years ago, and you look at what your job is going to be in two years, it's going to be vastly different. You're going to have a job — you're going to have probably a more exciting and interesting job. But you're going to have to be willing to learn," he said.

His remarks come against the backdrop of workforce reductions at Amazon. Earlier this year, the company announced around 16,000 corporate job cuts after eliminating another 14,000 positions in October 2025. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy previously said broader adoption of generative AI and AI agents would improve efficiency and reduce the need for some existing roles over time. However, Amazon later described its latest restructuring as part of an effort to simplify management structures, increase ownership and reduce bureaucracy.

As businesses continue to experiment with AI tools, Garman's comments reflect a growing view within parts of the industry that the technology's biggest impact may lie in redefining jobs rather than replacing the people who perform them.