Amazon AI Executive Advocates Picking Up Phone Calls for Career Success

Amazon's AI executive, Rohit Prasad, has emphasized the importance of picking up the phone as a crucial piece of career advice, particularly for Generation Z who often struggle with telephobia. Prasad's own career trajectory at Amazon underscores this advice. In 2013, he received an unexpected phone call from Amazon, which led to his role as the head scientist for Alexa and later as the leader of Amazon's AI team, reporting directly to CEO Andy Jassy. This experience highlights the significance of being curious, passionate, and open to unexpected opportunities.

Prasad's story began when Amazon reached out to him about a project driven by former CEO Jeff Bezos. Intrigued by the green field opportunity, Prasad took the job and has since played a pivotal role in Amazon's AI advancements. He later learned that his involvement in cutting-edge R&D projects in the DARPA space had caught the attention of Amazon's hiring team, leading to the call that changed his career. Prasad's advice to Gen Z is to control what they can, sharpen their skills, and be open to opportunities when they present themselves.

Gen Z's reluctance to answer phone calls is a growing concern, with research indicating that a significant portion of this generation avoids phone calls due to anxiety. This telephobia can have serious implications for their career prospects, as they may miss out on job opportunities or important business communications. The issue is so prevalent that even government agencies have had to adjust their data collection methods due to the difficulty in reaching young people by phone. In response to this challenge, some educational institutions have started offering classes to help Gen Z overcome their fear of phone calls, emphasizing that not every call is bad news.

Prasad's advice to Gen Z is to control what they can, sharpen their skills, and be open to opportunities when they present themselves. His story, along with those of other executives, illustrates how unexpected phone calls can lead to significant career advancements. These examples underscore the importance of being prepared and willing to take risks, as opportunity often comes in unanticipated forms. Prasad's message to Gen Z is clear: be curious, be true to your passion, and always pick up the phone when opportunity rings.