IBM has made a bold statement regarding the future of AI and its implications on its workforce. Despite earlier predictions from its CEO, the company assures that the rise of AI will not lead to mass layoffs. Instead, IBM projects an increase in overall hires, anticipating more job openings than those made redundant by AI.
During the Fortune’s CEO Initiative conference, IBM’s CEO Arvind Krishna confirmed that the company has no intention of letting go of its programmers due to AI advancements. Contrarily, he expressed, “I’ll get more.” Krishna is optimistic about AI’s role in the future, emphasizing that it will likely enhance programmers’ productivity by a significant 30%. This perspective aligns with various studies suggesting AI’s potential to augment jobs rather than eliminate them.
The tech world might find Krishna’s reassurance a bit surprising, especially considering his previous forecast, which estimated a staggering 30% of IBM roles to be overtaken by AI and automation in five years – roughly 7,800 jobs. Nevertheless, Krishna clarified his position, stating that while back-office HR roles might diminish, IBM is on track to ramp up hiring in software engineering and sales sectors in the coming three to four years. In his words, “The increase was like 8,000. The decrease was like 800.”
Underscoring the limits of AI, Krishna emphasized that while AI could potentially manage 10 to 20% of “lower-level” tasks, it’s improbable that it would render an entire job obsolete. His perspective resonates with the broader narrative that while AI might automate specific repetitive tasks, the essence of many jobs requires a human touch.
In essence, IBM’s stance offers a silver lining amidst the concerns over AI-induced job losses. While certain roles may evolve or diminish, opportunities for growth and new positions appear to be on the horizon.
