The latest on how AI is changing the business landscape

A decade ago Oxford professors Carl Frey and Michael Osbourne predicted that 47% of jobs in the US would be automated away by AI.? Of course, that hasn’t happened; just look at last Friday’s jobs report, with unemployment remaining around 4%.??

In our 2017 book What to do When Machines do Everything Ben Pring, Paul Roehrig and I called BS on this Oxford prediction noting that various issues - including technology maturity, good old organizational inertia and, well, math - argued against any such jobageddon.?

However, this long-watched pot of AI job automation is finally starting to boil.? Three areas, each of which represent millions of workers, are starting to get hit meaningfully:

• Software Testing and QA: LLMs are particularly good at analyzing language, including code.? Enterprise clients are onto the scent, and are demanding automated testing at dramatically lower cost.??
• Marketing Copy Editors:? Freelance employment in this sector is off 33% year to date and a similar phenomenon is starting with web designers.
• Application Maintenance: GenAI tools are proving to be particularly well-suited to monitoring and maintaining complex applications, and clients have massive economic and operational incentives to automate as much of that work as possible.??

Sure, AI will someday enable new roles (at scale). But, for now, large companies are starting to focus on automating the known jobs.??

With that lens, here are some highlights from the past week at the intersection of enterprise AI and work:How many jobs are being gained or lost due to AI? There are some clues

1. How many jobs are being gained or lost due to AI? There are some clues

The government doesn’t yet provide direct data.?However, some derivative data sets (i.e., hiring of recent college grads, layoffs in administrative positions) provide insight.?Check out the full report.

2. AI skills are becoming more important than experience for job seekers

Here’s how to adapt to this new reality.?Read the article here.

3. “I always feel like somebody’s watching me…”

Lesson learned: Users are creeped-out when their laptop records them.? Microsoft Copilot’s Recall tool, which takes continual screenshots, is switched off from default mode.?Check out the latest AI news.

4. SAP goes all-in on AI

World’s largest application provider is embedding its own copilot - Joule - across its entire platform.? Also introduces dozens of use-cases at its annual SAPPHIRE conference.?Read the full story.

5. The Snowflake data hack: it may snowball into one of the largest of all time

Data is the backbone of AI - and most will be stored in the cloud.?A chilling story.?See the latest news.

6. This is what it looks like when AI eats the world??

Where will the current “ask for forgiveness, not for permission” growth strategy take us? Find the latest AI news here.

7. “Have my avatar meet with your avatar.”

AI avatars in the workplace: A tricky issue CIOs must prepare for. Read the full article.

8. Tool of the Week:? D-id

Want to build your own AI avatar?? Here’s a leading platform.?Check it out!

9. CIOs discuss the impact of AI on tech jobs

AI will create multidimensional roles and new org structures.?Find out more.

10. ? Liar liar, pants on fire

AI systems are learning to lie and deceive. Read the entire story here.

11. AI capability is becoming a central issue in evaluating stocks

Morgan Stanley’s deep dive on AI’s rate of change and what it means to investing.?Discover the latest AI in financial news.

12. AI Powered Millionaires

AI stock frenzy helps mint 600,000 millionaires in the US, trouncing the rest of the world. Get the exclusive here.

13. Big Tech launches campaign to defend AI use

Chamber of Progress, in a campaign called "Generate and Create," says it will showcase "how AI lowers barriers for producing art." Read the latest AI news here.

14. And one more thing…

Google’s and Microsoft’s AI chatbots refuse to say who won the 2020 US election. Check out the story.

OK.? See you all next week.