Amazon Hires Microsofts Copilot CTO to Lead AI Agent Strategy
Amazon has hired Pedram Rezaei, the former Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft's Copilot, to bolster its AI agent strategy. Rezaei, who spent over two decades at Microsoft, will join AWS as a distinguished engineer in its Agentic AI and Emerging Technologies group. His recent roles at Microsoft included training foundation models and leading technical teams for products like Copilot, Bing, and Dynamics 365.
At Amazon, Rezaei will initially focus on Quick and Kiro, two key products in the company's AI agent portfolio. Quick is an AI assistant and productivity app, while Kiro is an AI-powered coding tool. According to an internal memo by Swami Sivasubramanian, Amazon's VP of agentic AI, both products have seen significant user growth, with Quick's monthly AI users growing fourfold and Kiro's user base doubling from the first to the second quarter.
Rezaei's hiring comes at a critical time for Amazon as it seeks to compete with Microsoft's AI advancements. Microsoft has made Copilot a central part of its AI strategy, while Amazon is developing its own suite of AI tools, including the Bedrock model platform and various coding assistants. The move also underscores Amazon's push into the rapidly growing AI agent market, with competitors like OpenAI, Meta, and Instinct launching new offerings.
Meanwhile, Microsoft is undergoing leadership changes to accelerate its AI strategy. Peter Lee, a veteran influential in AI research, announced his departure, followed by the announcement from Ryan Roslansky, the boss of Microsoft Office, that he will leave by the end of the year. Roslansky's exit is particularly notable as he was seen as a potential successor to Rajesh Jha and a key member of Microsoft's Copilot leadership team.