As concerns grow over the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has offered a strikingly optimistic prediction about the technology's future. Speaking at the VivaTech technology conference in Paris on Wednesday, the billionaire entrepreneur said he believes AI will ultimately create a labour shortage rather than replace human workers, Reuters reported.
Mr Bezos painted a hopeful picture of how emerging technologies could transform society, discussing initiatives ranging from his space company Blue Origin to his latest artificial intelligence venture, Prometheus, which is focused on accelerating physical manufacturing.
Bezos Pushes Back Against AI Job Loss Concerns
Addressing fears that AI could make large sections of the workforce obsolete, Mr Bezos said he sees the technology having the opposite effect.
"I know there's a lot of concern that many people have, including many smart people, that AI is going to make humans redundant and so on," Bezos said. “I totally disagree with this point of view. And I think, in fact, AI is going to create a labor shortage.”
His remarks come at a time when businesses around the world are increasingly adopting AI tools, often citing productivity gains and operational efficiencies. The rapid integration of AI has also coincided with widespread workforce reductions across several industries, particularly in the technology sector.
Layoffs And Anxiety Surround AI Adoption
Recent data highlights the growing concerns surrounding AI-driven workplace changes.
According to a report by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, US-based employers announced 97,006 job cuts in May, with AI linked to 40 per cent of those layoffs.
Public concern remains significant as well. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted this month found that half of Americans fear the rise of AI could put them or someone in their household out of work.
Resistance to AI adoption has also emerged across multiple sectors and demographics. From Gen Z workers entering the labour market to Hollywood screenwriters and unions representing South Korean automaker employees, concerns about automation and job displacement have fuelled opposition to expanding AI use.
Bezos Sees Unlimited Human Demand
Despite these concerns, Mr Bezos argued that people have an almost limitless capacity for creating new forms of work and activity.
The world's fourth-richest person, whose net worth is estimated at around $250 billion, said humanity is not constrained by a lack of ambition or ideas but by barriers that AI could help remove.
His comments contrast with actions taken by many companies, including Amazon itself.
The e-commerce giant has eliminated approximately 30,000 corporate positions since late last year, partly due to efficiency improvements linked to AI. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has previously acknowledged that increasing automation through AI-powered tools would result in some corporate job losses.
Bezos Links Space Exploration To Earth's Future
Beyond artificial intelligence, Mr Bezos also spoke extensively about space exploration and its long-term role in preserving Earth.
One of the key goals of expanding human activity beyond the planet, he argued, is eventually moving polluting industries away from Earth.
"If space travel gets reliable enough and inexpensive enough, and we can get materials from asteroids and near-Earth objects and the moon, then this garden planet can be returned to its pre-Industrial Revolution state," Bezos said.
Appearing alongside Mr Bezos at the event was Blue Origin CEO David Limp, who provided an update on the company's rocket programme. He said reconstruction work has begun on the firm's Florida launch pad for New Glenn rockets after a dramatic explosion in May.
