Amazon sees leadership change in artificial general intelligence division

Amazon’s artificial general intelligence (AGI) division is getting a big leadership shakeup. Karthik Ramakrishnan, a Vice President who has been at the company for 13 years, is leaving the organization. 
The retail and cloud leader confirmed his exit after Reuters inquired, but the company has not said whether Ramakrishnan will take a new job elsewhere.
Ramakrishnan is departing at a point when the company is beefing up its efforts around advanced AI technology to jockey with major competitors in the field, such as OpenAI and Google. One of the few public figures leading Amazon’s high-profile AGI projects, Ramakrishnan had a significant influence on defining the company’s approach to creating machines as intelligent as humans.
His departure is part of a wave of reshuffling in Amazon’s AI and technology ranks that could indicate shifts in how the company handles artificial intelligence and product development. People familiar with the company’s internal process suggest the move could complicate initiatives like Alexa development, internal AI tools, and partnerships with outside AI startups such as Anthropic.
The timing of this leadership change is driven by Amazon’s need to keep pace in an increasingly competitive AI space, analysts say. The company has spent a lot of time and money on AI R&D, hoping to secure its place at the leading edge of next-generation technology while still providing customers with timely products and services.
Ramakrishnan drives the development of Alexa and AGI tools
Karthik Ramakrishnan was a big name for Amazon in its artificial general intelligence campaign. In a 13-year Amazon career, h