3 weeks ago
White House AI adviser questions whether tech layoffs are AI-driven
A smart person who works for the White House, named Michael Kratsios, said some companies might be blaming artificial intelligence (AI) for layoffs they wanted to do anyway.
He thinks saying 'AI did it' sounds better in the news and to investors than the real reasons.
He talked about this on a podcast called Moonshots with Peter Diamandis.
Right now, many tech companies are cutting jobs at the same time they spend a lot of money on AI, which makes things confusing.
For example, Microsoft cut about 4,800 jobs while still investing heavily in AI.
Meta moved about 7,000 workers into AI teams and cut about 8,000 jobs at the same time.
Nobody is totally sure whether AI is really replacing workers or if companies are just changing their plans.
Mr. Kratsios says he is very optimistic that AI will be good for jobs in the long run.
Other leaders, like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, also think AI can lower costs, grow the economy, and even lead to worker shortages.
Still, people keep debating whether AI is taking jobs away right now or just changing how people work.
White House science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios said some companies may blame AI for layoffs that were already planned.
Kratsios said on the 'Moonshots with Peter Diamandis' podcast that blaming AI 'plays better in the press.'
Microsoft has eliminated around 4,800 jobs while continuing to expand its AI investments.
Meta moved roughly 7,000 employees into AI-focused teams while cutting around 8,000 positions.
Kratsios said he remains optimistic about AI's long-term positive impact on jobs, with support from Sam Altman and Jeff Bezos.
- Who
- Michael Kratsios, White House science and technology adviser, speaking on the 'Moonshots with Peter Diamandis' podcast.
- What
- Questioned whether technology layoffs are genuinely AI-driven, suggesting some companies use AI as a convenient explanation for cuts they would have made anyway.
- Where
- United States, in the context of White House policy and the technology sector.
- When
- During a recent podcast appearance; the article provides no specific date.
- Why
- Because attributing layoffs to AI 'plays better in the press' and can appeal to investors focused on productivity gains.
AI unfairly blamed for layoffs
AI-driven restructuring reshaping jobs
Cause of tech layoffs
AI unfairly blamed for layoffs
Kratsios argues firms use AI as a convenient explanation for layoffs that would have happened anyway because it 'plays better in the press.'
AI-driven restructuring reshaping jobs
Companies like Meta say restructuring around AI is intended to create AI-native teams, speed up development, and raise productivity.
AI's long-term impact on employment
AI unfairly blamed for layoffs
There is growing concern that AI is destroying jobs at scale or being blamed for job losses and rising energy consumption.
AI-driven restructuring reshaping jobs
Kratsios, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Jeff Bezos believe AI will have a positive long-term effect, with Bezos arguing productivity could lower costs and eventually create labor shortages.
Key facts
- Adviser
- Michael Kratsios
- Role
- White House science and technology adviser
- Podcast
- Moonshots with Peter Diamandis
- Microsoft job cuts
- About 4,800
- Meta employees moved to AI teams
- About 7,000
- Meta job cuts
- About 8,000 positions
- Kratsios outlook
- Optimistic about AI's long-term impact on jobs
Quotes
Michael Kratsios
White House science and technology adviser
“"I think like a lot of folks these days, like when they’re doing a layoff that they would have done anyway, just like to assign it or blame it to AI because it plays better in the press,"”
firstpost.com
“"I believe in the long term, I’m very optimistic about the impact that AI’s going to have on jobs,"”
firstpost.com
Sources
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