The boundary between work powered by AI and trust
Kroger has announced plans to reduce the number of employees at its headquarters by approximately 3,000 people, while using AI to reduce redundant work. At the same time, research on predicting HER2 expression in breast cancer from mammography has progressed to an area close to diagnosis. There are already situations where the results of AI are used in practice, such as organizing tasks and supporting medical decisions. On the other hand, given the speed with which it was introduced, it has not been determined who will check whether the results are correct and who will take responsibility if an error occurs. The topics of this half-day have in common something that cannot be measured by efficiency figures. In each of the following sections, we will look at where the procedures and responsibilities for verifying results are determined and where vacancies are located, in the order of employment, diagnosis, practice, regulation, and creation.
US retail giant Kroger has announced plans to cut approximately 3,000 jobs at its headquarters in line with the expansion of its use of AI (Reuters). Yahoo News UK reports that this reduction will come in the form of AI that reduces duplication of work. The targets are back-office departments at the head office rather than on-site stores, and the cases in which AI is directly affecting employment appear not in terms of new products or sales floors, but in the reorganization of overlapping tasks between departments. For those considering introducing AI, the difference between its effectiveness and its impact on personnel is not so much what AI can do, but rather whether or not it can identify which of its own operations are redundant.
However, it is possible that the duties that were being reduced were also opportunities for those in charge to gain experience. GeneOnline reports that Sanzenbacher analyzed how AI automation could change the apprenticeship model for the trades. The question that arises is that if redundant and routine work is reduced, there will be fewer opportunities for younger workers to acquire skills while helping their seniors with their work. There is also movement on the training side. MSU Denver received recognition for preparing students for the AI era (MSU Denver - Early Bird). Universities are making progress in teaching students how to interact with AI, but whether they will be able to develop systems for training people in the field after they find employment at the same speed is another question.
Furthermore, the efficiency of a single company cannot be separated from its external economic environment. According to CNBC, the IMF's chief economist talks about inflation and AI risks and rising borrowing costs. In a situation where borrowing costs rise, companies will more seriously reconsider their personnel expenses and investment decisions. How cuts like Kroger's will interact with interest rates and inflation cannot be gleaned from individual company announcements alone.
