Amazon founder says AI will not replace humans, to create more jobs

International

AMAZON founder Jeff Bezos said artificial intelligence (AI) will create more jobs rather than replace workers.

Speaking at a tech conference in Paris, Bezos pushed back against concerns that AI could make large numbers of workers redundant, saying the technology will increase demand for labor and unlock new opportunities.

“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 in a BBC report. “I totally disagree with this point of view. And I think, in fact, AI is going to create a labor shortage.”

Bezos said AI could help remove barriers that limit productivity and ambition, allowing greater output across industries.

His comments come amid differing views among public figures, including former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has said AI is already affecting job prospects for young people.

Bezos was speaking about his AI venture Prometheus, which focuses on accelerating physical manufacturing, a sector increasingly shaped by automation.

The UK’s Trades Union Congress has warned that AI could repeat the negative effects of deindustrialization, where jobs are displaced while corporate profits increase. It also noted that the technology could bring benefits if implemented effectively.

Bezos also discussed space exploration at the event, describing space as “supply constrained, not demand constrained,” and saying access remains the main limitation to expansion beyond Earth.

He said the Moon could serve as a starting point for long-term human expansion, with technologies such as electrolysis potentially enabling the use of lunar resources for fuel and sustained presence in space.

“We’re going to the Moon to stay, not just to visit,” he said.

The discussion also touched on Blue Origin, Bezos’ space company, following a recent setback when an uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a ground test in Florida in May.

Bezos said no injuries occurred and key infrastructure survived the incident, while Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp said reconstruction is underway and launches are expected to resume before the end of the year.

The event also featured robotics demonstrations, including a humanoid robot from Unitree working with French neuro-AI firm HABS, showcasing brain-controlled interaction using EEG headsets.

The demonstration highlighted developments in human-machine interaction and the continued expansion of AI into physical systems such as robotics and automation.(Khea Raym Lubiano, PIT Comm Intern)