IBM embraces AI-powered business world

IBM CEO, Arvind Krishna, has announced that the company plans to pause hiring for non-customer-facing roles that could be replaced by artificial intelligence (AI). Krishna believes that around 30% of the 26,000 non-customer-facing positions, including human resources jobs, could be replaced by AI over a five-year period, leading to approximately 7,800 lost jobs. HR duties such as documenting employee movements and writing employment verification letters are expected to be among the first roles to be automated. However, roles focused on customer interaction and software development are not expected to be impacted in the coming years.

Although Krishna did not specify whether the move to AI-based roles would start immediately, a recent Goldman Sachs report has highlighted the potential threat to jobs that AI automation could pose in the U.S. and Europe. The report suggests that up to 300 million jobs could be at risk if "generative AI delivers on its promised capabilities." It also found that AI could have the capability of directly accomplishing up to one-fourth of current work, putting two-thirds of jobs at risk.

ChatGPT and working environment

The emergence of AI programs like ChatGPT has prompted concerns about the future of human jobs, leading to new regulations on AI being a priority for many government agencies worldwide. Companies are also developing their own guidelines for using AI technology. Tech leaders with the Group of Seven nations recently announced that countries should adopt "risk-based" regulations for dealing with AI. Meanwhile, Federal Trade Commission chairwoman, Lina Khan, and civil rights officials at the Justice Department issued a statement warning that AI has the "potential to perpetuate unlawful bias, automate unlawful discrimination, and produce other harmful outcomes".

IBM has been using its Watson platform for years to inform decisions in areas like healthcare and customer service. The platform gained fame in 2011 after defeating Jeopardy! champions Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in exhibition matches, winning IBM a prize of $1 million.

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