Adam Selipsky is stepping down as Amazon Web Services CEO after three years of leading the cloud giant. In an interview, he addressed the perception that AWS was caught off-guard by the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence. Selipsky defended the company’s history in AI and machine learning, emphasizing their focus on security, operational excellence, and long-term customer relationships. He believes that AWS has the opportunity to be a leader in generative AI, building on their success in the cloud space.
Selipsky reflected on his time at AWS, highlighting the company’s growth and milestones during his tenure. When he joined AWS in 2005, the annual revenue run rate was $13 billion, and it has since grown to $100 billion. He expressed pride in the work AWS does for its customers and excitement about the future of its business and technology. Selipsky is leaving with mixed emotions, but he is energized by the possibilities ahead and is looking forward to his next leadership experience outside of Amazon.
Amid his departure, Matt Garman will be taking over as AWS CEO. Selipsky noted that he had always planned on serving as CEO for a few years and preparing the next generation of leadership. He expressed confidence in Garman’s ability to lead AWS into the next phase. Despite leaving with no specific plans for the future, Selipsky is excited about the potential opportunities that lie ahead for him and is looking forward to decompressing and thinking about his next adventure.
During his time as AWS CEO, Selipsky focused on helping customers optimize costs, shifting workloads to the cloud, and supporting Ukraine in preserving its data and technology infrastructure. He emphasized the importance of innovation, listening to customers, and preparing the next set of leaders to lead. AWS continues to lead the cloud market with a 31% market share, but Microsoft and Google are closing the gap. Selipsky believes that AWS is in a strong position and has confidence in Garman’s ability to continue leading the company successfully.
Selipsky shared a historical perspective on the development of transformative technologies, such as big data, IoT, mobile, and generative AI. He highlighted the importance of AWS’s long-term relationship with customers and their ability to adapt quickly to new technologies. Selipsky believes that AWS has the opportunity to be a leader in generative AI, building on the company’s strengths in security, operational excellence, and customer focus. As he transitions out of his role as AWS CEO, Selipsky expressed gratitude for his time at the company and excitement about what lies ahead for him and AWS.
