AI will cause labour shortages, not job losses: Bezos

Half of Americans fear AI could cost them or someone in their household a job, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll published this month. Jeff Bezos thinks they have it backwards.

Speaking at the VivaTech technology conference in Paris on Wednesday, the Amazon founder predicted that artificial intelligence will produce a labour shortage, not replace the humans it is meant to assist.

"I totally disagree with this point of view," Bezos said of widespread redundancy fears. "AI is going to create a labour shortage."

Bezos, whose wealth totals an estimated $250 billion, putting him as the fourth richest individual in the world, stated that the limits of human ambition are endless and that artificial intelligence will make it possible for those barriers to be taken down.

Instead of taking jobs away, he believed it would uncover opportunities that currently exist without fulfilment.

The Amazon founder was speaking on stage with Blue Origin’s chief executive officer, David Limp, who announced the process of rebuilding their New Glenn rocket launch pad in Florida, which had been destroyed due to an explosive incident back in May.

In addition to discussing the benefits of artificial intelligence, Bezos presented his vision for exploring outer space, where humanity can restore the environment, rather than escape it.

The idea is that once space travel becomes safe and cost-effective enough, as well as obtaining materials from asteroids, Earth-like objects, and even the Moon, industries causing pollution can simply be moved out into space.

"This garden planet can be returned to its pre-Industrial Revolution state," he said.

Prometheus, Bezos' newly formed startup specialising in the field of AI and its application in fast-tracking manufacturing processes, was also mentioned.

Blue Origin remains in competition with Elon Musk's SpaceX, which had its IPO last week.

Elon Musk has made several plans, including building cities on the moon and Mars, as well as launching data centres for his AI in orbit.