Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Hiring, Labor Issues, Antitrust, Racial Bias in AI, and How He Found Out Bezos Picked Him
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The most important thing in tech today is …
I just sat down with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy in his first broadcast interview since he took the reins at the company in July. Over the course of 30 minutes, we covered a lot — including thorny questions on antitrust, warehouse injuries, hybrid work, race and artificial intelligence, the debt ceiling, and Amazon’s new televisions.
I flew out to Seattle for the interview. It was my first significant travel for work since February of 2020.
It feels a little weird for me to say that this is the most important thing in tech today, so let me clarify: The most important thing isn’t that I’m interviewing him. It’s that we’re hearing from Amazon’s new CEO for the first time on some major topics that his fellow CEOs at Apple, Google and Facebook don’t often address with an independent journalist. I didn’t give him the questions in advance; I never do in my interviews.
Jassy and I have talked in depth every year since 2015. And he was just as candid this time as he’s always been. Catch the first airing of the interview on CNBC’s TechCheck today. Then catch the whole thing streamed out on LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube soon after.
Coming up today on CNBC’s TechCheck, 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT …
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy
While you were sleeping …
Amazon.com has increased its average starting wage in the United States to more than $18 an hour and plans to hire another 125,000 warehouse and transportation workers, an executive told Reuters. Reuters
South Korea’s competition regulator on Tuesday announced it will fine Google 207.4 billion Korean won ($176.9 million) for allegedly using its dominant market position in the mobile operating system space to stifle competition. CNBC
In the broader world …
Tuesday’s report of the consumer price index could set the tone for markets ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve meeting, particularly if it is hotter than expected. The CPI is expected to have risen 0.4% in August month over month, according to a Dow Jones consensus estimate. On a year-over-year basis, CPI would then be up 5.4%, the same pace it was in July. Excluding food and energy, CPI is expected to rise 0.3% or 4.2% year over year, according to estimates. CNBC
On the horizon …
9/14, 4:45 ET / 1:45 PT: A Fortt Knox Update with Manny Medina, Outreach CEO
