Key facts
- Box has created 13 new job categories related to artificial intelligence.
- The company expects its workforce to grow to over 3,000 employees by early next year.
- New roles include AI architect, AI solutions manager, and senior director of AI, data and integration.
- Box is hiring due to both selling AI-powered products and using AI internally for productivity.
- The company's revenue increased 11% in the latest quarter.
Box, a Silicon Valley software company specializing in data storage and management, is creating new job categories and expanding its workforce, defying the broader tech industry trend of AI-driven layoffs. The company has introduced 13 new roles, such as AI architect, AI solutions manager, and AI platform leader, to integrate artificial intelligence into its products and internal operations.
CEO Aaron Levie stated that Box's dual role as a seller of AI-powered products and a user of AI for internal productivity is driving the need for more employees. The company expects its workforce to grow from 2,900 at the start of the year to over 3,000 by early next year. This includes roles like 'forward deployed engineers' to assist customers with AI adoption and 'AI business automation engineers' to help colleagues leverage AI for efficiency.
Box has also hired individuals like Sidharth Srinivasan to evaluate and benchmark AI models, highlighting the emergence of new skill sets required by the technology. This approach contrasts with companies like Meta and Coinbase, which have reduced headcount, citing AI efficiencies. Box's strategy of measured growth and a commitment to avoiding broad layoffs, as emphasized by Chief People Officer Jessica Swank, has proven advantageous.
The company's revenue saw an 11% increase in the most recent quarter, its fastest growth since 2022, suggesting that its AI integration efforts are beginning to yield financial results. Despite anxieties about AI potentially replacing existing software solutions, Levie believes third-party software remains more secure and reliable for businesses.