IBM Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna has proposed a shift in the company’s approach to hiring. He said that the firm would stop filling positions that may be automated in the near future. The first phase of the initiative will include the elimination of 7,800 human employment.
According to Bloomberg, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has announced changes to the company’s recruiting practices, including a decision to avoid filling positions that may be automated in the near future. Human resources and other administrative positions may be significantly impacted by this decision.
Speaking recently, Krishna remarked, “It wouldn’t surprise me if AI and automation took over 30% of that work in five years.” Approximately 7,800 non-customer-facing positions may be at risk as a result of this change. IBM, however, has stated that some of these layoffs will occur as a result of natural turnover, since the business would not fill all vacated positions.
One of the most contentious issues surrounding artificial intelligence is raised by Krishna’s comment. There is growing concern about the potential impact of AI technologies on the labor market and the number of jobs lost as a result of these innovations.
Krishna predicts that routine administrative chores like reassigning workers or sending out employment verification letters will soon be completely automated. However, tasks in human resources that involve more in-depth analysis and judgment, such as counting employees and gauging their output, are not predicted to be automated by AI in the foreseeable future.
IBM said earlier this year that it will be eliminating up to 5,000 jobs, but the company is still hiring, especially in the areas of software engineering and customer service. According to Krishna, it’s far simpler to identify talent today than it was a year ago. The first three months of 2018 saw around 7,000 additions to the company’s workforce.