The Only Way to Get Good at AI Is to Fail, Says AWS CMO Julia White
Adapting to AI Through Trial and Error
Poinews.com – Julia White, the chief marketing officer at Amazon Web Services (AWS), asserts that the only way to get good at AI is through repeated failure. During an interview with Euronews Next at the VivaTech conference in Paris, she shared how her own journey with artificial intelligence has been defined by learning from mistakes. Initially, she questioned whether AI would render her role obsolete, but she quickly realized that hands-on experimentation was essential to grasp its full potential.
White emphasized that the only way to get good at AI requires leaders to engage directly with the technology. “There was a moment I wondered, ‘Am I still valuable?'” she recalled. This doubt led her to test AI agents in real-world scenarios, where she discovered their ability to automate tedious tasks and enhance productivity. However, she noted that these early successes were just the beginning of a broader transformation.
“To get really big effects — like 5x effectiveness — we actually had to step back and rewrite how our processes work,” said White.
Revolutionizing Efficiency and Workflow
At AWS, the integration of AI has dramatically altered operational efficiency. For instance, the company generates over 5,000 new webpages annually, a process that once took three hours and involved multiple team members. Now, AI tools can complete the same task in under 30 minutes, highlighting the only way to get good at AI as a means to unlock scalability and speed. White highlighted that these efficiency gains are not just incremental but transformative, enabling teams to focus on higher-value strategies.
Despite these advancements, White stressed that true mastery demands more than automation. She argued that the only way to get good at AI involves reimagining workflows from the ground up. “You can’t achieve breakthrough results without rethinking the old playbook,” she explained. This mindset shift has allowed AWS to not only optimize existing processes but also explore uncharted possibilities in customer engagement and innovation.
“AI isn’t very good at beautiful storytelling that really connects with the human experience,” White noted. “It’s a wonderful thought partner — but it’s not a tastemaker.”
Human Creativity as the Cornerstone of AI Success
While AI excels at efficiency, White acknowledged its limitations in creative domains. She pointed out that the only way to get good at AI must include human insight as a critical component. “The core storytelling, that unique human perspective, is a person,” she emphasized. Her team uses Amazon Q, AWS’s internal AI assistant, not as a replacement for human judgment but as a collaborative tool to enhance, rather than replace, creative thinking.
One example of this synergy came when AI-generated content resonated deeply with colleagues, even evoking emotional responses. “It moved people to tears,” White recounted. This illustrates that the only way to get good at AI is to pair it with human creativity, ensuring that technological tools serve as enablers rather than definitive solutions. By blending AI’s capabilities with human intuition, AWS has achieved a balance that drives meaningful results.
“Failure is necessary on the path to mastery,” she said. “We’re never going to get great at AI if we don’t try and fail.”
Cultivating a Culture of Innovation
White has taken proactive steps to foster an environment where failure is embraced as a learning opportunity. Within her team, she introduced a “Be Brave” award to celebrate experiments that didn’t succeed, recognizing the value of effort over immediate outcomes. She also shares her own missteps openly, reinforcing the idea that the only way to get good at AI is through continuous iteration and risk-taking.
To further support this culture, White implemented dedicated training days free from meetings, allowing teams to experiment with AI tools without pressure. “The most exciting part of this AI era is the revival of ideas once deemed impractical,” she said. By prioritizing learning and creativity, AWS has positioned itself to lead in the evolving digital landscape.
“I’ve always dreamed of how I can have a truly personalized experience for every single customer,” White admitted. “This was not practical before, but now it’s suddenly practical.”
Ultimately, White’s message to other executives is clear: the only way to get good at AI is to dive in, experiment, and accept that setbacks are part of the process. She urged leaders to move beyond observation and actively use AI in their workflows, ensuring that their teams remain agile and innovative. As the AI revolution continues, this mindset will be vital to unlocking its full potential and staying ahead in a rapidly changing world.
