Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Nimbleness, AI Strategy, and the Shifting Role of Managers

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Agility, AI Strategy, and the Changing Role of Managers 6 May 2025 --- A conversation with the head of Amazon on their competitive advantage in an age of uncertainty. From HBR's IdeaCast, available wherever you get your podcasts. 00:00 - Startup mindset at scale 01:30 - Key traits of a startup culture 03:10 - Speed and reducing bureaucracy 05:00 - Rethinking management and ownership 07:00 - Why Amazon brought people back to the office 09:00 - In-person collaboration vs. remote work 11:30 - Advice for cutting complexity in large organizations 13:30 - AI strategy and Amazon’s tech stack 17:00 - Rufus and reinventing retail with AI 20:30 - Societal impact and risks of AI 22:40 - Leading through global uncertainty 25:15 - What 21st-century leadership requires 26:30 - Jassy’s best career advice It's a tough time to lead one of the biggest companies in the world - one that depends on supply chains, physical infrastructure, and top tech talent to stay competitive. But Andy Jassy, who took over as CEO of Amazon from legendary founder Jeff Bezos in 2021, manages in a way that he says helps him stay focused on what is best for their products and ultimately their customers. He explains his decision to get workers back to the office five days a week, why he is building an organization less dependent on managers, and how their artificial intelligence strategy differs from the rest. Books, tools, and more: store.hbr.org Follow us: https://hbr.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/harvard-business-review/ https://www.facebook.com/HBR/ https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz https://www.instagram.com/harvard_business_review Sign up for Newsletters: https://hbr.org/email-newsletters #HarvardBusinessReview #YourCareer #Career #Job #Work #Business #Harvard #HarvardBusinessSchool Copyright © 2025 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices