IBM is pausing their hiring push as they look to utilize Artificial Intelligence (AI) instead. A report from Bloomberg suggests that as many as 7,800 of their roles that were potentially open to new employees may be placed on hold. This news first came from Arvind Krishna, the CEO of IBM, creating worry amongst those in the workforce.
AI is predicted to make up one-third (30%) of the non-customer-facing roles in the next five years, mainly in back-office positions like HR. It is unclear how these changes will affect the company’s workforce, but with the majority of affected individuals still likely retaining their jobs, it appears that AI will take on more of a supplementary role.
This proposal follows a year of layoffs due to an unsteady economy, further deepening the fears and uncertainties of many. When asked for comment, IBM stated that there is no current blanket hiring pause in effect, and that they are selective when it comes to roles that don’t directly involve their customers or technology.
Another company, Dropbox, has mentioned that roles are being made redundant because of the need to hire individuals with specialized AI skills.
IBM is an American multinational technology company, best known for its cutting-edge technology, software development, and IT services. Founded in 1911 as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, IBM is one of the largest tech companies in the world and has been recognized many times for its contributions to the tech industry.
Arvind Krishna is IBM’s current CEO, having been appointed in January 2020. Since taking over the role he has pushed to shift the company’s focus towards cloud computing and AI. Prior to becoming CEO, Krishna served as IBM’s Senior Vice President of Hybrid Cloud, and as General Manager of IBM’s Cloud and Cognitive Software division.
