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- Matt Wood, VP of AI at Amazon Web Services, is leaving after 15 years.
- Wood’s departure comes amid fierce AI competition from Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI.
- AWS has seen significant executive turnover, with its CEO and other top leaders leaving.
Matt Wood, VP artificial intelligence at Amazon Web Services, is leaving.
In a Linkedin post on Wednesday, Wood wrote that he is stepping away from AWS after 15 years at the company. He didn’t share why or where he’s headed next.
“It has been an extraordinary journey to be part of a team that has fundamentally transformed how businesses operate, grow, and innovate,” Wood wrote.
Wood has been one of AWS’s most high-profile executives, often speaking on stage at public events. He worked on AWS’s machine learning and AI technology, laying some of the groundwork for the company’s latest growth initiatives.
Amazon’s spokesperson didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Wood’s departure is taking place at a time of intense competition in the AI space. Even though Amazon has worked on AI technology for years, the company has so far failed to draw as much attention as competing products from Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI. Some of its key products, like the Q chatbot and AI chips, are seeing mixed results.
It’s also the latest executive turnover at AWS. In May, AWS replaced its CEO, Adam Selipsky, with Matt Garman. AWS CFO Richard Puccio, CMO Rachel Thornton, and VP of data center Chris Vonderhaar are among the top leaders who also left in the past 2 years.
Wood hinted in his Linkedin post that he is likely joining another company.
“I’m excited to continue bringing reinvention, transformation, and the future to more organizations in my next role (more to come on that; stay tuned),” he wrote.
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