AI - Shorter workweek? Consume jobs?

[edyvw]

I appreciate all the responses. And they are all correct, to an extent. We cannot say where this thing goes.
An incredible inflection point...

AI has already changed our lives... Have you seen AI related stocks lately?

That is pretty much the only thing that drives the stock market. If you dissect the stock market, things look pretty only there.
However, there is a lot of artificial pumping of expectations and creating a bubble. Sam Altman comes out: "I am so afraid of this new version. It might be the end of society as we know it, blah, blah, blah." Pumps the stock price, releases anyway, and then we don't hear from him until next version, where he comes and says: "I am so afraid of this new version. It might be the end of sociaety as we know, blah, blah, blah."
I know instances of people in the security field who were actually demoted due to AI. They tried to use AI to do their job, and once those who requested policy information asked them for an oral brief, they could not give a brief of what "they wrote."
It will change things, but it won't do so in a way everyone expects. It is like that abomination, Microsoft Teams. I remember when the IT guys came to present us with Teams. 1. You could immediately figure out that they are challenged when it comes to social skills. 2. They tried to convince everyone that now we will only talk to eachother using Teams, same as they do. It did not happen. We still use email more than Teams.
My wife had a very interesting case yesterday. Is the chronic problem with breathing caused by a Narcan respiratory issue or a nervous system issue? Depending on the insurance company, reimbursement depends on the correct designation. One person claimed it is nervous (which technically is), another (my wife) that it is respiratory bcs. Aetna wants it coded that way. AI will pick up what is in the books. Narcan is a neurological drug, but insurance companies have their own way. Not only do they have their own way, but they also differ in how they designate issues between different hospitals. So, to resolve this $70,000 issue, they had to make several phone calls to determine how Aetna would look at that so that they don't get a denial and have a person on the hook for $70,000, which they will not pay.

 

[edyvw]

"They" tried that with me.... I had a phone that was paid for by the company but I was free to use as my personal phone (if I was told it's strictly for work, I would have turned it down anyway). Once that was given, and I didn't answer a couple calls after hours from the owner, he said (I'm paraphrasing but not exaggerating) "you're expected to answer your work phone anytime someone calls". I was mowing at the time of the call and I either didn't have my phone on me or didn't hear/feel it ringing. I was that when I did call back....outside of work hours. It happened a 2nd time and a voicemail was left with the same general message, which I ignored. The next day, I told him not to ever leave a message to me like that or try to speak to me like I'm his child. Yeah, I don't give a *beep*. In the next couple days, I arranged to move back to our family's mobile plan and made sure my phone number (I ported my long-time number to the work phone) got ported back to me. I happen to have access to the company account so I was able to "approve" the port as I wanted to make sure it wasn't blocked. Took over 2 months before it was noticed that I was off the plan and when asked why, I reminded them .... and silence. If I'm contacted after hours, I respond if and when I feel like it.

My work computer is a desktop so it doesn't go home with me. At best - if I choose to - I can access my email from home, but nothing else.

I am on family leave until 01/01/26.
I take my baby out every day, stop by work, just because. Someone asked me yesterday: Hey, are you going to be part of xyz? I am like: No. Hell no. I come here just to bug people, but when it comes to work, I teach occasionally at USAFA, because I like to interact with cadets. I have some NATO delegations coming every few weeks, give them a briefing because it usually involves a good restaurant, some drinks, and good conversation. Work? I don't want to hear anything until 01/02/2026.

 

[zzyzzx]

So far I have mostly only seen AI generated internet search results / pictures / videos / articles. I have also seen some layoffs blamed on AI which I am reasonably sure are not really caused by AI.

 

[edyvw]

So far I have mostly only seen AI generated internet search results / pictures / videos / articles. I have also seen some layoffs blamed on AI which I am reasonably sure are not really caused by AI.

They are. The IT sector is really struggling.
My neighbor worked 21 years for Oracle after getting out of Marines. Just got laid off a few weeks ago. IT companies are really pushing AI wherever they can.

 

[zzyzzx]

They are. The IT sector is really struggling.
My neighbor worked 21 years for Oracle after getting out of Marines. Just got laid off a few weeks ago. IT companies are really pushing AI wherever they can.

I used to work for Oracle...are you sure he wasn't replaced by one or more Indians?

 

[edyvw]

I used to work for Oracle...are you sure he wasn't replaced by one or more Indians?

Nope. They are shrinking workforce, period.

 

[alarmguy]

Dont count on a shorter work week for a very long time, if ever.

 

[KrisZ]

Dont count on a shorter work week for a very long time, if ever.

Exactly, companies will reduce the number of employees and keep the remainder working 40+ hours/week.

Those wanting a short week, will quickly find themselves unemployed and having the whole week for themselves.

 

[Passport1]

I am on a local college campus several times a week. From observing hundreds of young college students ambling about pell mell appearing like expressionless, emotionless zombies, many are following their plastic/glass electronic devices at arms length. If this is even partially the result of AI it is a double edged sword. One side very sharp and the other blunt. And more, rarely do I see young men and young women walking together interacting. This at a time when these people ought to be forming new interpersonal relationships. Do they instead interact electronically never having to engage with others? Have they created their own digital gulags?

From AI, shorter work weeks for these souls ought not be the concerrn, shorter lives might be.

 

[Pew]

But on the bright side, if we get manufacturing back then maybe we can get a family discount on new cellphones when our grandkids are working in the factories.

 

[ATex7239]

Companies don’t make money by giving you time off. They make money by working you. Good luck getting the bean counters to see that differently.

 

[JeffKeryk]

So far I have mostly only seen AI generated internet search results / pictures / videos / articles. I have also seen some layoffs blamed on AI which I am reasonably sure are not really caused by AI.

When driving the Model 3, I ask Grok about Prof. Feynman, the Rubin Observatory, and much more. Grok is somewhat interactive; she will ask questions back to see which direction you wish to discuss, such as scientific or practical. Amazing, freakin' amazing stuff.

And yeah, she is listening unless you shut it off. I think...

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Replacing man with a machine that doesn't call in sick, go on vacation, have babies or ask for a raise is not in our best interest.

 

[97prizm]

We have tossed around the idea that Artificial Intelligence will consume jobs and free up time.
Here is one such article.
AI is controversial, scary, fantastic, and .... who the heck knows? More BITOG time, perhaps?

To some extent yes but there are probably jobs that haven't been invented yet. My 90 year-old grandma was a switchboard operator at the telephone company for many years. It paid significantly higher than other jobs that women had. Train crews used to have an engineer, conductor, coal stoker, caboose attendant etc. Most of that now is completely automated. When Food Network debuted I can remember people commenting that how can a whole network channel be just about food?

 

[JeffKeryk]

To some extent yes but there are probably jobs that haven't been invented yet. My 90 year-old grandma was a switchboard operator at the telephone company for many years. It paid significantly higher than other jobs that women had. Train crews used to have an engineer, conductor, coal stoker, caboose attendant etc. Most of that now is completely automated. When Food Network debuted I can remember people commenting that how can a whole network channel be just about food?

I wrote computer programs that put bookkeepers out of work, I'm sorry to say. The company rewarded me for elevating differing Excel spreadsheets to a single "course of truth" information giving system. I was rewarded for doing my job; they lost their jobs due to corporate goals. Change is all about winners and losers.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Replacing man with a machine that doesn't call in sick, go on vacation, have babies or ask for a raise is not in our best interest.

Been going on forever and will continue to do so. I have been taught to embrace change, because it is coming whether I like it or not.
It is better to see the punch coming than to get blindsided cuz then it just might be game over.

 

[dadto2]

Replacing man with a machine that doesn't call in sick, go on vacation, have babies or ask for a raise is not in our best interest.

Machines don't ask for a raise. But once your organization becomes completely dependent upon the machine, it's licensing fees go through the roof.

 

[eljefino]

If you have 400 hours a week of business and ten workers, and AI lets you cut that to 200 hours, will you cut all your workers back to half-time or will you lay off the five worst people?

 

[Pew]

Machines don't ask for a raise. But once your organization becomes completely dependent upon the machine, it's licensing fees go through the roof.

*Looks at disgust at Broadcom/vmware*

 

[Vercingetorix]

AI is giving me plenty of time to plot the overthrow of AI.