Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman has warned companies against the idea of replacing junior developers with artificial intelligence, calling it “one of the dumbest things” he has ever heard.
Speaking on a recent podcast with Matthew Berman, Garman said junior developers are essential for the long-term growth of any software company.
“They’re probably the least expensive employees you have, they’re the most leaned into your AI tools,” he said. “How’s that going to work when ten years in the future you have no one that has learned anything?”
His comments come amid growing concern that AI could eliminate entry-level jobs, especially in software development. While some tech leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, have warned that junior roles are most at risk, Garman argued that companies should continue hiring new graduates and training them.
Garman emphasized that junior developers are “AI native,” often already comfortable with tools like code assistants. This mirrors earlier remarks from outgoing GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke, who said junior developers will remain vital despite advances in AI.
On AI more broadly, Garman took an optimistic view. He said the technology should be seen as a tool to reduce repetitive work and free people to focus on creative and rewarding tasks. “There’s never been a more exciting time to be in technology,” he said.
Garman also dismissed the trend of measuring AI’s success by how much code it generates. “Sometimes fewer lines of code is way better than more lines,” he said, adding that focusing on raw output is a “silly metric.”
According to Garman, around 80% of AWS developers already use AI tools in their workflows, from writing unit tests to drafting documentation. But he stressed that AI should enhance, not replace, human developers—especially those at the start of their careers.
