Although many are worried that artificial intelligence (AI) might disrupt the job market and replace white-collar positions, Jeetu Patel, president of technology company Cisco, believes people should worry more about rivals who are better at leveraging the technology.
“I am less concerned about AI replacing my job. I am more worried about someone who utilizes AI more effectively than me, which is a greater threat to my position,” he said to Euronews Next.
As per a study conducted by the technology firm, which has not been published yet, 80 percent of businesses reported intentions to incorporate agent-based AI into their processes.
Autonomous AI is an automated system capable of performing tasks with minimal human oversight.
Cisco’s data aligns closely with areportlast week from AI company Anthropic, which revealed that 77 percent of businesses utilizing the company’s Claude AI software were using it for automation, which could involve activities like completing forms.
In the meantime, just 12 percent of companies utilized Claude AI for teamwork activities like education.
Patel mentioned that the ability of AI to enhance professional work is a positive aspect, as it addresses issues that humans were previously unable to resolve.
As a result, he stated that means “every job will be restructured and as a result, some jobs will be eliminated.”
Nevertheless, he remained hopeful and emphasized the significance of workers acquiring new skills and enhancing their existing ones to adjust to artificial intelligence. He mentioned that this will be “more crucial than anything else, as there will be more positions generated by AI that we currently cannot even imagine.”
However, Patel mentioned that the types of jobs eliminated by AI will not be entry-level positions impacting Gen Z, or individuals approximately under the age of 28.
This shows a strong disagreement with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who stated in May that AI might eliminate nearly 50 percent of entry-level white collar positions within the next five years.
“There was a theory suggesting that all entry-level positions would disappear and there would be no longer a need to employ individuals at the entry level. I don’t agree with this theory… it doesn’t make any sense,” Patel stated, referencing Amodei’s idea.
“I don’t believe that individuals in the early stages of their careers should be excluded from the system, as I feel they are the ones who introduce new ideas and are highly valuable. Additionally, the way they utilize AI is quite different,” he added.
Patel explained that a 20-year-old could view AI as a companion or a tool for generating ideas, whereas a 30-year-old might utilize it more practically as a search engine.
Cisco mainly offers products and services to assist organizations in creating computer networks, which Patel mentioned can benefit businesses in an AI-focused environment.
However, Cisco is also implementing AI inside its own organization: “Every function, every role, we’re considering how that role can be redefined with AI,” Patel mentioned.
He explained that this could involve legal teams utilizing AI to examine contracts, as well as developers employing it to generate code.
Patel mentioned that this reflects how most businesses will ultimately embrace AI since it is “a widely applicable tool.”
“When considering mobile technology, it’s not just about having one app or another. It’s as if everyone uses mobile devices. Everyone relies on the internet for all their activities. And that’s somewhat how AI will be,” he stated.
However, it remains uncertain if AI will take over jobs at Cisco.
Last month, the company revealed more than 200 job cuts, with several developers affected.
When asked about this, Patel said, “Our approach is to continuously evaluate which areas of the business we want to invest in, and which parts we may need to reallocate funds from.”
“In most situations, we can effectively transfer individuals with the necessary skills to other projects. However, in certain instances, there is a mismatch in skills. When this occurs, you conclude that these are not the individuals required for the future, but rather, there will be others with different skill sets,” he stated.
In the end, he stated that the objective is to keep recruiting additional individuals with expertise in AI, covering areas such as AI research, engineering, and product leadership.
Superintelligence
Regarding artificial general intelligence (AGI) or artificial superintelligence (ASI), which is generally described as AI with cognitive abilities surpassing human intelligence, Patel expressed enthusiasm alongside caution.
“There are 8 billion people on the planet right now, but if we could truly perceive that as the processing power of 80 billion or even 800 billion individuals, we could address challenges on a completely different level than we do today. That’s thrilling,” he mentioned.
I also believe we shouldn’t be overly optimistic about it and there are certainly several risks related to safety and security that we need to consider. Additionally, we must ensure that these safety and security concerns are addressed as AI continues to develop.
He mentioned that during any form of technological change, there needs to be a proper balance between safety and progress.
I believe that for technology companies, you can’t adopt a single perspective. As we develop technology, it’s essential to consider the negative aspects and ensure that we also focus on the positive outcomes.
When asked about his greatest concerns regarding AI, he mentioned the risk of malicious individuals obtaining the technology and the potential for cyberattacks that could impact essential systems like hospitals.
As for what excites him the most, he responded that it is progress that can “alleviate human suffering and improve the quality of life for individuals.”
“The greater potential of AI comes into play when it begins to produce unique insights that were not present in human fundamental knowledge, enabling us to address challenges we previously couldn’t overcome,” he stated.
At that moment, there will be new treatments for cancer and other illnesses, and there will be a significant increase in lifespan.
And those elements can truly be quite impressive and forward-thinking for society.
