AWS Chief reveals list of skills other than coding that will define the AI age

Even as artificial intelligence reshapes industries worldwide, Matt Garman, the chief executive officer of Amazon Web Services (AWS), believes the most valuable skills for the future won’t be coding or technical expertise—but critical thinking, adaptability and communication.

Speaking to CNBC, Garman said he gives the same advice to his own children, stressing that soft skills will hold greater long-term value than pure technical know-how. He said he strongly encourages students to “develop your critical thinking skills in college, no matter what subject you study,” emphasising that the ability to think deeply and question effectively will define future success.

He stated that higher education should be viewed less as a means of technical training and more as a foundation for building reasoning and judgment. “I think part of going to college is building your critical thinking. It’s less about the development of skills, and it really is about how you become a critical thinker. In some ways, I think that’s actually going to be the most important skill going forward,” he revealed.

Garman said he considers critical thinking to be “the number one, biggest key to success in the age of AI,” adding that creativity and flexibility will also be vital. He said that one is going to want to be creative, as well as critical thinking. He recommended flexibility as well as part of the skillset. He revealed his thoughts about ability to learn new things, and how being able to adapt is going to be just as important as any particular skill that that is learned.

He explained that while artificial intelligence can efficiently handle administrative and repetitive tasks, it still falls short when it comes to complex reasoning, nuanced judgment and emotional intelligence. As such, he believes human skills that AI cannot replicate—such as creativity, empathy, and problem-solving—will remain in high demand.

Beyond critical thinking, Garman also identified adaptability and communication as essential soft skills. He said these abilities are “important today” and will likely be “just as important, if not more important” in the years ahead.

He further noted that people skills would continue to matter deeply in customer-facing industries, saying that most customers still want to talk to a person and get personal insights and attention from a human being. Those people skills are going to continue to be super important for a long time.a