Box says AI will create jobs at the company, not cut them

In short: Box says it expects AI to be a net job creator, and its job postings show it is hiring new AI-focused roles instead of using AI mainly to reduce staff.

What's going on

Box, a Silicon Valley software company, is publicly pushing back on the idea that AI will automatically mean fewer jobs. In a late May 2026 interview, CEO Aaron Levie criticized what he called “AI psychosis,” which he described as tech leaders rushing to cut staff based on overly optimistic assumptions about AI making workers much more productive.

The New York Times reports that Box expects to have more employees overall as AI changes the kind of work people do. That position stands out in an industry where some companies have linked layoffs to AI efficiency. The same broader debate has included high profile job cuts at firms like Wix and Meta, and layoff tracking groups have reported tens of thousands of US layoffs attributed to AI in 2025 and 2026.

Box’s current hiring supports Levie’s argument. The company is listing roles such as AI business automation engineers who would work with teams like Finance and Legal to rebuild internal processes using AI. Think of this like hiring people to redesign an office workflow with new power tools, not just removing workers. Box is also hiring AI-related product roles, customer-facing roles like solutions architects, and partnership roles focused on AI.

What to watch

The key question is whether Box can keep growing headcount while still using AI to automate routine tasks. Watch for whether these new roles lead to faster product releases, new services in regulated fields like life sciences, and clearer evidence that AI is shifting work rather than simply shrinking teams.

Source: NYTimes