AWS’s Matt Wood says top engineers stay focused on the problem

Wood, Amazon’s chief AI and technology officer, said engineers can use AI not only to write code but also to understand problems more deeply and pursue several possible solutions. Software development used to be more expensive, he said, making it worthwhile for teams to align around one approach. AI now gives developers room to investigate alternatives at the same time.

His remarks come as Amazon adjusts expectations for software engineers. Last month, the company issued new role guidelines under what it calls the “era of the Renaissance Developer.” The guidance puts greater emphasis on long-term effects for customers and the business, rather than maximizing AI use.

AI-generated code has also changed how engineers spend their time. Where they once could wait days for code reviews, manual testing and design revisions, they can now focus on more complex reviews, the article said. Wood said engineers who do not become attached to one solution respond more readily and move faster. They are also “much happier and have a lot more momentum in their career,” he said.

Other technology leaders have emphasized judgment as engineers take on more responsibility for managing AI agents. AWS principal engineer David Yanacek has described the strongest developers as “paranoid and lazy”: eager to automate repetitive tasks, but cautious about setting safeguards so agents can work without constant oversight.