In a significant revelation at the world's premier tech showcase, the Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Lisa Su, has detailed how artificial intelligence is fundamentally altering the hiring landscape at the semiconductor giant. Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas, USA, Su stated that AI has slowed down the hiring process at AMD, not by reducing numbers, but by changing the profile of candidates the company actively seeks.
Prioritising 'AI-Forward' Talent in a Growing Workforce
Addressing concerns that AI adoption might lead to job cuts, Su provided a clear counter-narrative. She emphasised that AMD is actively expanding its global workforce and hiring a significant number of people. However, the focus has shifted. "We're hiring different people. We're hiring people who are AI forward," Su told CNBC's Jon Fortt during the interview. She stressed that candidates who "truly embrace" AI are now being prioritised.
This strategic shift underscores AMD's deep integration of AI across its entire operation—from building and designing chips to manufacturing and testing them. As a key player designing Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) for training AI workloads, AMD is embedding this technology into its core. This move positions the company as a formidable challenger in the AI chip market, currently dominated by Nvidia with over a 90% share.
AI as an Augmentation Tool, Not a Replacement
Lisa Su firmly pushed back against the narrative of AI-induced job losses. Instead, she framed AI as a powerful productivity enhancer. "AI is augmenting our capabilities. It's not replacing people, it's actually just augmenting our productivity in terms of the number of products we can bring up at any given time," she explained.
This philosophy is reflected in the company's growth trajectory. According to Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings, AMD employed approximately 28,000 people worldwide as of December 2024. Su confirmed the company continues to grow "very significantly," indicating that AI is reshaping the type of talent required rather than shrinking the overall headcount.
Lisa Su's Vision: From Mundane Tasks to Solving Hard Problems
Elaborating on her vision for AI's evolution, Su highlighted a two-pronged impact. The first is enhancing pure productivity by automating menial work, freeing employees for more complex tasks. The second, and more transformative, is AI's potential to solve extraordinarily difficult problems at unprecedented speed.
"I think about a world where it normally takes us three years to design a chip, and what does that look like if I could do that in six months?" she mused. This acceleration could compress a decade of research into mere months, revolutionizing fields like semiconductor design.
Comparing the AI revolution to historical shifts, Su noted that while the internet was a valid comparison, AI is "much more." She suggested a closer parallel might be the Industrial Revolution, due to AI's foundational impact on productivity and capability across all sectors. Previously, Su has expressed belief in Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) but dismissed doomsday scenarios, asserting that technology's value is dictated by its human creators and guides.
