Archive · 8 Nov 2025
AWS CEO Recommends Soft Skills Over Coding for Children in AI Age
Imagine a super smart robot, that's like AI.
Even though robots can do a lot of jobs, they aren't as good as people at thinking deeply about problems.
So, the boss of Amazon's cloud company, Matt Garman, says it's more important for kids to learn how to think for themselves.
He wants them to be good at figuring things out, being creative, and adapting to new situations.
He believes these human skills are like superpowers that robots can't easily copy.
This means learning to be curious and asking 'why' is more valuable than just learning how to code.
These abilities will help people succeed even when AI gets smarter.
AWS CEO Matt Garman advises focusing on soft skills for future job seekers in the AI era.
He emphasizes critical thinking as the most crucial skill, even more than coding or IT expertise.
Other key soft skills highlighted include creativity, adaptability, and communication.
Garman believes these human-centric skills are areas where AI currently falls short.
His advice extends to his own children, stressing the importance of learning how to adapt and think critically.
- Who
- Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- What
- Advocated for prioritizing soft skills like critical thinking, adaptability, and communication over technical skills for future job seekers, including his children, in the age of AI.
- When
- Recent statements to CNBC
- Where
- Statements to CNBC
- Why
- Believes these soft skills are tasks that AI currently cannot replicate and will become increasingly important for success.
- Speaker
- Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Core Advice
- Focus on developing soft skills rather than purely technical ones in the age of AI.
- Top Recommended Skill
- Critical Thinking
- Other Key Skills
- Adaptability, Creativity, Communication, Flexibility
- Reasoning
- AI is currently unable to replicate human abilities in critical thinking, creative solutions, and nuanced decision-making.