Don't worry. Be happy.
That's Jeff Bezos' advice to software engineers who may be fearful that AI could take their jobs or are facing an identity crisis as the technology changes their work.
Speaking with CNBC from Blue Origin's rocket facility in Florida on Wednesday, the Amazon founder compared AI to having a bulldozer rather than a shovel to dig a big hole.
"If you've been digging out a basement for your house with a shovel and somebody's about to hand you a bulldozer, you should be so happy," he said of software engineers.
"It's going to elevate all these people, he added. "We are going to have so much productivity in our economy."
Bezos said fears around AI across the wider population have been spurred by "smart people" speaking out about how the technology could lead to widespread job cuts and severe economic turmoil.
While Bezos didn't share examples, over the past few months business leaders, economists, and AI researchers have warned about the technology's impact.
Geoffrey Hinton, considered one of the "godfathers" of AI, said earlier this year that he's sad that the AI he helped create has become dangerous and has been ignored. While Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said he believes AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs.
"We should be energized because this is a moment when the possibilities are so large," Bezos said.
Bezos said if we allow the technology to be rolled out without it being "hamstrung," we could end up with the land of plenty — cheaper food, cheaper housing, and general deflation across the economy.
His comments come as the software engineering industry is experiencing a major flux. This sector has seen significant layoffs and restructuring as tech companies shift budgets toward AI.
Despite this, Business Insider's Alastair Barr reported that the number of tech roles had jumped 30% so far this year.
