SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
Plastino D’Costa
Don’t go by title of this article, because jobs for the future aren’t going to have the security of longevity most seek, while accepting terms with prospective employers. Let that sink in. The only job security one can have for the future is to be nimble footed, adapt and wholeheartedly accept a changed scenario, the faster the better. As soon as Elon Musk purchased Twitter and went on a sacking spree to cut down cost, the big tech companies in the USA have pursued like crazy; rapid and relentless. Stories have been heart wrenching especially for Indian techies who are not only jobless and at the end of the grace period will also be without valid visas. Not that Indian IT industry will remain insulated in this global turmoil; last checked Twitter – India had sacked the entire India team except three.
The excuse being given for massive layoffs has been the impending recession, but that might not be the case entirely. Big Tech in USA has already laid off one hundred fifty thousand and counting. Were these the extra hiring they had done during the pandemic demand? Yes, to a certain extent, but surprisingly experienced staff also have been on the firing line, because these companies are on cost cutting mission and the experienced usually are the ones paid highly. There is another data point to ponder, around one third of the staff fired are from human resources. Understandable, because companies on firing mode will recruit less, and fewer recruitment means reduced recruitment procedures. But it could also mean most processes are now automated, so in future even if things start looking up the HR department head count is not coming to the original number.
According to LinkedIn, which may not be the only platform people utilize to seek jobs, but is one of the leading indicators. According to them, over 90 percent of the people sacked by Big Tech have not bothered to update their CV’s, which means they are not even seeking jobs in the present moment. One reason could be that these mentally drained techies might want to take a longish break and recharge their batteries, travel the world, before they become available in the job market or do they know something we don’t. It is quite possible that they are seeing the signs that are obviously imminent in their industry. After all Artificial Intelligence (AI) long debated as a tool that will displace desk workers initially is looking more and more real now.
With the advent of ChatGPT, an AI tool which interacts in a conversational way, getting good reviews, it is obvious most techies have realized that their days could be numbered, unless they reinvent themselves and upgrade their credentials to better suit the new technology. After all ChatGPT is used extensively to find and fix bugs in coding making the techie job easy but at the same time allowing companies the flexibility to reduce excess staff and get more output with lesser headcount. Not that software techie’s job will completely vanish, but companies are going to downsize the headcount and use more and more of AI that gets the desired result faster with lesser human input.
Tech workers is just one example the author has mentioned due to lack of space in this article, but ChatGPT scenario is going to play out in design, journalism as the potential is limitless. In short, anyone into technology problem solving business, research and content generation are going to be the first in the line of fire. While some of ChatGPT results are hilarious and will make news because of the funny response it dishes out; please remember it is still in learning mode and the answers are only going to be more and more logical and noteworthy with time. With Google and Meta entering the race to develop their AI, it’s just a matter of time, the world better be ready for more carnage.
Everybody needs time to deal with this new animal, be it companies, employers and employees, moreover the world needs to debate how best to implement this technology without creating too much chaos. There are going to be knee jerk reactions from all sides, last checked JP Morgan had restricted the use of ChatGPT, but no idea how they will be able to implement it. The AI use cases are only going to increase with time and target new areas.
Keeping the above scenario in mind, how does the Generation Next plan their future careers, maneuver their existing ones and plan their future financial commitments accordingly. For starters keeping a positive mind will help, this is not going to be the end of the world; the ways of working might change. There will be disruption, not complete destruction. There are going to be some careers which are not getting automated soon, better to identify those and plan what best suits you. Focus on careers where the industry is in good shape and is more prepared to face the AI onslaught. For young techies who are having second thoughts on their career choice, remember no situation is permanent. If fired, better to upgrade your skills then to sulk. Just two years back, when the pandemic hit, pilots were fired because there were less airplanes in the air, but travel has picked up now to such an extent that there is shortage of pilots. Techies during the pandemic made a killing, moonlighting and also working officially from home. We live in a dynamic world where no situation is permanent.
As far as Goa’s Generation Next is concerned, most of the above applies to you. The most coveted Job security in Goa’s government departments will also be a thing of the past. The fiscal indiscipline will just not allow government to employ them permanently. We just have to make sure we don’t elect the same politicians at every election and become their slaves. If AI is going to disrupt most careers why should the politician’s career in Goa be made secure? Hopefully, the threat of Artificial Intelligence will trigger our Human Intelligence into taking sensible decisions because everybody’s career is on the line here.
(The author is a business consultant)
