Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the workforce—a reality underscored this week by major announcements from Amazon and Chegg. Amazon plans to eliminate 14,000 jobs as it reallocates resources toward AI development, while Chegg is laying off 45 percent of its staff in response to what it calls “the new realities of AI.”
For employees and business leaders, these announcements signal an era of uncertainty and rapid change. At the recent Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Box CEO Aaron Levie, LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer Aneesh Raman, and Meta’s head of business AI Clara Shih discussed what the rise of AI means for the future of work.
Shih argued that entrepreneurs may be best positioned to thrive in the AI era, largely because they’re used to adapting quickly and seeking opportunities despite limited resources.
Asked what skill will matter most moving forward, Shih emphasized entrepreneurial thinking: “Entrepreneurship, defined as pursuing opportunity without regard to resource constraints, will be critical because the foundation of our resources is constantly shifting. We must stay alert to change and repeatedly reinvent ourselves and our organizations.”
Raman extended that idea, highlighting curiosity as the most valuable skill—and noting that the other essential “five Cs” of leadership will only grow in importance: curiosity, compassion, creativity, courage, and communication. He added that resilience, adaptability, and the ability to learn (and fail) quickly will be key habits in the years ahead.
While the recent layoffs may feel bleak, Levie said he is optimistic about the long-term job outlook. AI, he believes, will eventually lead to more hiring because it will increase the value each individual employee can produce.
He compared the situation to the transformation of advertising in the 1980s. Before digital tools, creating an ad campaign could take weeks. When software like Photoshop emerged, turnaround times fell dramatically. Instead of eliminating the industry, the technology enabled more businesses to participate—and the field grew.
Levie predicts AI will create a similar expansion, especially for small businesses. With AI acting as a leveling force, smaller companies could suddenly access the same strategic, legal, creative, and technical expertise once reserved for major corporations.
“Each organization will look different,” Levie said, “but imagine every small business having access to the same expert lawyer, marketer, product designer, or engineer as a large company. That could unleash enormous growth and innovation.”
Still, he noted, AI is far from fully integrated into most workplaces. For now, its practical business applications remain limited, giving companies and workers time to adjust, experiment, and develop complementary skills.
“The reality is that if you drop AI into today’s workflows, it won’t transform much right away,” Levie said. “We assumed AI would work the way we do. In fact, we may need to adapt our work to suit how AI operates, so that we can fully unlock its potential.”