Dive Brief:
- The Motley Fool reports that Amazon is actively looking for more AI talent in the midst of major talent shortages.
- To help support the growing popularity of its AI-enabled assistant, "Alexa", the company expanded a facility in Cambridge, UK, and has plans to open a new research and development center in Barcelona, Spain. Amazon plans to hire more than 100 software engineers and scientists once the Barcelona facility opens.
- Analysts from RBC Capital Markets shared that Alexa-based devices would earn as much as $10 billion for Amazon by 2020.
Dive Insight:
The expansion of Amazon's presence in other parts of the world signals a need for more talent than the U.S. can supply currently. The company's forward-thinking recruitment approach will enable them to stay on top in the consumer market.
Earlier this year, Amazon started recruiting more customer service agents to work remotely, anticipating a flux in sales. However, the company isn't taking cues from Facebook, which is training internal employees for AI roles. This could be another option while they ramp up international operations and try to secure AI talent there.
Artificial intelligence is influencing a large part of the technology market, but it doesn't stop there; AI impacts recruitment and human capital management more every day. Last year, HR Dive covered how AI and recruitment would work together and much of this has already come to pass.
