Jeff Bezos, the former CEO of Amazon, has expressed concerns about the artificial intelligence (AI) efforts of the company compared to competitors such as Google and Nvidia. Despite stepping down as CEO, Bezos remains actively involved in Amazon’s AI initiatives. He has reportedly been sending emails to Amazon executives questioning why certain AI companies are using other cloud providers instead of Amazon Web Services (AWS).
According to CNBC, Bezos is “hyper-aware” of the competition in the sector and closely monitors the activities of Google and Nvidia. As of April, AWS maintained a 32% share of the cloud market, with Microsoft at 24% and Google at 11%. In the first quarter of 2024, Google and Microsoft experienced slight increases in their market share, while AWS experienced steady growth compared to the previous quarter.
CRN quoted analyst John Dinsdale stating, “Amazon held steady relative to the prior quarter, while Microsoft and Google both saw a marginal increase.”
In response to its declining position in AI, AWS announced a change in leadership. Adam Selipsky, the current CEO of AWS, will be replaced by Matt Garman, the SVP of AWS sales, effective June 3rd. This move is seen as a strategic decision by Amazon to address its perceived lag behind Google and Microsoft in AI. Garman is considered a “Wartime CEO” who is expected to be more aggressive and technically oriented, while Selipsky is seen as a “Peacetime CEO.”
Additionally, Bezos has been actively working to promote AWS and strengthen its position in the AI field. He has been seeking to introduce AI startups to AWS, aiming to expand its reach and influence. In March, AWS became the primary cloud provider for Claude, one of the largest AI models. This development followed Amazon’s $4 billion investment in Anthropic, the company responsible for developing the AI models.
In summary, Jeff Bezos remains invested in Amazon’s AI efforts and has expressed concerns about the company’s competition with Google and Nvidia. AWS has appointed a new CEO, Matt Garman, to address its perceived lag in AI. Bezos is also actively working to bring more AI startups to AWS, and the company has secured a significant role in the AI field through its partnership with Anthropic.
