Jeff Bezos says AI will create more jobs at VivaTech Paris

June 18, 2026 - 03:46

Speaking at the VivaTech conference in Paris, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos offered a counterintuitive take on the future of artificial intelligence. Rather than wiping out millions of jobs, Bezos argued that AI will actually create a labor shortage. He believes that as AI handles more routine tasks, human workers will be freed up to tackle new, more complex problems that we cannot yet imagine.

Bezos, who now runs the space company Blue Origin and the robotics firm Amazon Robotics, said that history shows technology tends to increase the range of human capability rather than replace it. He pointed to the internet as an example. When it arrived, many feared it would destroy jobs. Instead, it created entirely new industries like social media, cloud computing, and streaming services.

The billionaire entrepreneur acknowledged that AI will cause disruption. Some jobs will disappear. But he insisted that the bigger challenge will be finding enough people to fill the new roles that emerge. He described a future where humans will work alongside AI tools, with the machines handling the boring or repetitive work while people focus on creativity, strategy, and human interaction.

Bezos also touched on the rapid pace of AI development. He noted that the technology is improving so fast that it is hard for society to keep up. But he remains optimistic. He said that humans are adaptable and that the next generation will grow up with AI as a natural part of their world, much like today's young people cannot imagine life without smartphones.

The comments came during a wide-ranging interview at the annual tech event. Bezos did not offer specific predictions about which industries would see the most growth, but he stressed that the key is to stay flexible and keep learning.