Box Creates 13 New AI Jobs, Grows to 3,000 Employees

While many tech companies slash jobs and blame artificial intelligence, one Silicon Valley firm is proving AI can actually create more work for humans.

Box, a cloud software company that helps businesses manage their data, has created 13 entirely new job categories because of AI. The company expects to grow from 2,900 employees to more than 3,000 by early next year.

CEO Aaron Levie made a bold decision four years ago when AI started transforming his industry. Instead of cutting staff, he doubled down on integrating AI into Box's products and asked employees to help colleagues learn the new technology.

The strategy paid off. Box now needs people in roles that didn't exist two years ago, with titles like AI architect, AI solutions manager, and forward deployed engineer. These aren't temporary positions but long-term investments in helping customers navigate rapidly evolving AI technology.

One new role evaluates AI models to help customers choose the right tools for specific tasks. Sidharth Srinivasan, 23, joined Box full time after graduating from Stanford to do exactly that work. Two years ago, he wouldn't have understood what his current job even meant.

Box also created AI business automation engineers who work in IT departments, helping colleagues use AI to eliminate boring, repetitive tasks from their workdays. Another new position helps customers who want to use AI but lack the technical knowledge to get started.

The company's approach challenges the widespread fear that AI will replace programmers and engineers. Box hasn't slowed its hiring of software engineers at all. With AI agents able to perform tasks autonomously, one engineer can now accomplish what once required an entire team.

The Ripple Effect

Box's story offers a blueprint for how companies can adapt to AI without abandoning their workforce. The company never participated in pandemic hiring binges and has never done broad layoffs, according to Chief People Officer Jessica Swank.

Revenue is climbing too. Box reported 11 percent growth in its most recent quarter, the fastest pace since 2022, as more than 100,000 customers including federal agencies and Morgan Stanley use its software.

Columbia Business School professor Stephan Meier points out this pattern isn't new. When computers arrived in workplaces during the 1970s and 1980s, entirely new careers emerged. IT departments, chief information officers, and whole college degrees were created to support the technology.

The growth of AI jobs likely won't offset all AI-related cuts across the industry, and questions remain about whether workers can develop the needed skills. But Box proves that thoughtful companies can find opportunities where others see only threats.

As AI models continue advancing and changing how they work, Box's customers will need ongoing help adapting, Levie believes. The hiring will only plateau when AI innovation itself slows down.