Is Amazon actually hiring more people despite AI automation?

Yes. Amazon plans to hire 11,000 interns and recent graduates this year, and it employs more software developers today than it did two years ago, even as AI coding tools have become more capable.

What skills is Amazon looking for in entry-level hires now?

Rather than focusing solely on existing technical skills, Amazon increasingly values adaptability, curiosity, the ability to learn quickly, and the willingness to dive in and learn new things. Garman said the company looks for "the ability to learn" and "agility to reason about problems" rather than a specific skill set.

Why would companies keep hiring entry-level workers if AI can automate their jobs?

Garman argued that entry-level employees are cheap, haven't learned bad habits, can be taught company culture, and bring fresh energy and new perspectives that long-tenured teams lack. IBM's chief HR officer added that companies that double down on entry-level hiring now will be most successful in three to five years, because without that investment "there's no pipeline; the well simply dries up."

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Amazon's AWS chief says AI won't wipe out white-collar jobs—it will reshape them—and the company is hiring 11,000 interns and graduates this year to back that up.

Fortune AI1d ago6 min read

Key takeaway

AWS CEO Matt Garman rejected predictions that AI will eliminate millions of white-collar jobs, arguing the math doesn't work because a collapsing workforce would collapse the entire economy. Instead, he said AI will reshape work rather than destroy it, pointing to Amazon's plans to hire 11,000 interns and graduates this year and its larger software-developer workforce today than two years ago as proof that entry-level talent remains in demand. Other tech leaders like IBM and Cognizant have made similar bets on young workers, even as AI tools become more capable.

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3 Key Points

What happened
AWS CEO Matt Garman argued on a podcast that forecasts of mass white-collar job losses from AI don't hold up mathematically, saying "half of white-collar jobs may change, but wipe out and change are different." He compared the current AI shift to the arrival of Microsoft Excel, which changed jobs rather than eliminated them. Amazon is hiring 11,000 interns and recent graduates this year and employs more software developers today than it did two years ago, even as AI coding tools have become more capable.
Why it matters
Garman's position directly counters warnings from AI industry leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei that AI could eliminate up to half of entry-level office jobs. Garman argues that if half of jobs truly disappeared, "the whole economy collapses on itself"—because workers need income to spend, which keeps the economy functioning. His comments reflect a debate among tech executives about whether AI is a genuine threat to employment or a tool that reshapes work; IBM and Cognizant have similarly doubled down on entry-level hiring, betting that young talent remains essential.
What to watch
Garman emphasized that Amazon now values adaptability, curiosity, and the ability to learn quickly over existing technical skills when hiring entry-level workers. He noted that entry-level employees are "your cheapest employees," haven't learned "bad habits," and bring "energy and excitement" and fresh perspectives that established teams lack—suggesting that the value proposition for hiring young talent has shifted in the AI era.

FAQ

Is Amazon actually hiring more people despite AI automation?: Yes. Amazon plans to hire 11,000 interns and recent graduates this year, and it employs more software developers today than it did two years ago, even as AI coding tools have become more capable.
What skills is Amazon looking for in entry-level hires now?: Rather than focusing solely on existing technical skills, Amazon increasingly values adaptability, curiosity, the ability to learn quickly, and the willingness to dive in and learn new things. Garman said the company looks for "the ability to learn" and "agility to reason about problems" rather than a specific skill set.
Why would companies keep hiring entry-level workers if AI can automate their jobs?: Garman argued that entry-level employees are cheap, haven't learned bad habits, can be taught company culture, and bring fresh energy and new perspectives that long-tenured teams lack. IBM's chief HR officer added that companies that double down on entry-level hiring now will be most successful in three to five years, because without that investment "there's no pipeline; the well simply dries up."

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