Latest news with #ArvindKrishna
Deccan Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
AI effect: IBM lays off 8,000 employees of HR departments worldwide
Recently, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said that the company has significantly invested in Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications to automate some jobs including HR-related work.
News18
3 days ago
- Business
- News18
AI Axe Falls On IBM Employees: Tech Giant Cuts 8,000 Jobs, Automates Parts of HR Dept
Last Updated: IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has openly discussed the company's increasing reliance on automation. IBM Layoffs 2025: IBM has recently laid off around 8,000 employees, focusing mainly on its Human Resources (HR) department, accordingly to several media reports. This action is part of a larger strategy by the US-based tech giant to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations, especially in back-office roles. Earlier this month, IBM replaced about 200 HR positions with AI agents capable of performing repetitive administrative tasks like answering employee queries, processing paperwork, and organizing HR data. These AI-driven agents require minimal human oversight and are designed to enhance efficiency while cutting costs. advetisement A Shift In Workforce Management This decision represents a major change in IBM's approach to managing its workforce. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has openly discussed the company's increasing reliance on automation. In a recent interview, he mentioned that AI is being adopted 'very aggressively" to streamline business processes. Despite job cuts in some areas, he noted that IBM's overall headcount has actually risen, as savings from automation are being redirected to areas like software development, marketing, and sales. 'While we have done a huge amount of work inside IBM on leveraging AI and automation on certain enterprise workflows, our total employment has actually gone up," Krishna said. 'It gives you more investment to put into other areas." Modernizing Over Downsizing Krishna emphasized that IBM's goal is not merely to reduce workforce numbers but to modernize it. The company aims to focus on roles that require human skills such as creativity, strategic thinking, and people management, while administrative and process-oriented roles are increasingly susceptible to automation. IBM's Chief Human Resources Officer, Nickle LaMoreaux, echoed this sentiment, stating that AI is not expected to fully replace most jobs. 'Very few roles will be completely replaced," she said. 'AI will take over the repetitive parts of the job, freeing up employees to focus on areas that need human judgment and decision-making." Promoting AI Capabilities While undergoing internal restructuring, IBM is also promoting its AI expertise to external clients. At its annual Think conference this month, the company introduced a suite of new tools to help businesses build and deploy their own AI agents, compatible with platforms from OpenAI, Microsoft, and Amazon. Industry Trends IBM's move reflects a broader industry trend. For instance, language learning platform Duolingo has recently announced it is replacing human contractors with AI. Similarly, Shopify CEO Tobias Lütke has implemented new policies requiring teams to justify new hires by showing that AI cannot perform the job instead. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN News18. Stay updated with all the latest business news, including market trends, stock updates, tax, IPO, banking finance, real estate, savings and investments. Get in-depth analysis, expert opinions, and real-time updates—only on News18. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published:
India.com
3 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Mass firing in this company as 8000 employees sacked due to...,not Narayana Murthy's Infosys, Ratan Tata's TCS, Wipro, name is...
Narayana Murthy, Late Ratan Tata and Azim Premji- File image (Left to right) IBM layoff update: In a significant news update for employees of the IT sector, famous tech company IBM has reportedly laid off about 8,000 employees. In the recent development, the global IT giant has fired employees most of whom were associated with the HR section. Here are all the developments you need to know about the recent layoff at IBM. It is widely known that IBM CEO Indian-origin Arvind Krishna is very supportive of company's increasing reliance on automation and the recent layoff could be in line with the objective of the company, a report carried by Business Today said. Also, readers should note that IMB's move aimed at reducing the HR workforce is not new and rarlier this month, IBM had replaced about 200 HR positions relating to answering frequently asked questions with with Artificial Intelligence, in a step to reduce paperwork and managing HR data. India, IBM to explore potential collaborations in quantum, AI In another significant development on IBM, the Indian government and IBM are exploring opportunities to collaborate on quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and geospatial AI solutions, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced as per a report by news agency IANS. IBM's Global Head, Arvind Krishna, met Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh to discuss how the two sides can work together in these advanced technology fields. The meeting took place as India pushes forward with its National Quantum Mission, an initiative aimed at making the country a global leader in quantum technology. Both sides recognised India's rapid transformation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has placed the country at the forefront of AI and next-generation innovations. (With inputs from agencies)
India Today
5 days ago
- Business
- India Today
IBM is cutting around 8000 jobs likely because of AI, major losses in HR department
IBM has laid off around 8,000 employees, and reports suggest that most of the job cuts are coming from the company's Human Resources (HR) department. The move comes just days after IBM reportedly replaced 200 HR roles with AI agents as part of an automation push. Basically, with AI now doing the work that was once handled by humans, many roles are slowly being phased this month, IBM reportedly replaced about 200 HR positions with AI agents. Meaning: The company now has software programs that can carry out tasks like sorting information, answering employee queries, or processing internal paperwork. These agents are designed to handle repetitive tasks that don't require much human judgment. Now, with the company doubling down on AI, it seems like thousands of jobs are being CEO, Arvind Krishna, hinted at this change in a recent interview. He explained that AI and automation were being used to streamline certain enterprise processes and make teams more efficient. At the time, he said the total number of employees at IBM had actually increased, as savings from automation were being invested in other parts of the business, like software development, marketing, and 'While we have done a huge amount of work inside IBM on leveraging AI and automation on certain enterprise workflows, our total employment has actually gone up,' Krishna reportedly said. 'It gives you more investment to put into other areas.'Basically, IBM claims that it isn't shrinking across the board. Instead, it is shifting its focus. Jobs that require creativity, strategic thinking, or strong people skills, such as those in marketing or software development, are still in demand. But roles that involve routine, repetitive work, especially in back-office functions, are at higher IBM's Chief Human Resources Officer, Nickle LaMoreaux, has said that the use of AI doesn't necessarily mean all jobs will disappear. 'Very few roles will be completely replaced,' she explained. Instead, AI will take over the repetitive parts of the job, freeing up employees to focus on areas that need human judgment and despite the massive cuts, IBM continues to promote its AI tools to clients. At its annual Think conference held this month, the company launched new services to help other businesses build and run their own AI agents. These tools are designed to work alongside major platforms from OpenAI, Amazon, and trend isn't unique to IBM. Many companies around the world are experimenting with AI-powered tools to automate tasks and reduce costs. Last month, Duolingo announced that it is replacing human contractor jobs with AI. 'We'll gradually stop using (human) contractors to do work that AI can handle,' said Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn. In April, Shopify CEO Tobias Lutke publicly shared an internal memo that basically set up a new direction for the company. According to the memo, going forward, the company CEO said that if anyone hires a human employee, they will have to first justify why AI can not do that job. 'Before asking for more headcount and resources, teams must demonstrate why they cannot get what they want done using AI,' he wrote in the memo. 'What would this area look like if autonomous AI agents were already part of the team?'
Daily Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Tribune
IBM Slashes 8,000 Jobs While Quietly Expanding AI Workforce
Tech giant IBM has laid off approximately 8,000 employees—mostly from its human resources departments—as part of a sweeping internal overhaul. But even as pink slips were issued, the company quietly increased its global headcount, signaling a shift from traditional roles to AI-driven functions. This restructuring effort is not just about cost-cutting. At its core, it represents a redefinition of the modern workforce, driven by artificial intelligence and evolving workplace dynamics. IBM's total headcount now exceeds 270,000 employees worldwide, even after the recent layoffs. Much of this growth is thanks to a pivot toward roles in software development, AI engineering, sales, and strategic marketing, areas where human creativity and insight remain irreplaceable. ⚙️ AskHR: The AI Engine Behind the Shift Central to IBM's transformation is AskHR, the company's in-house AI platform that now handles 94% of HR-related interactions, including payroll queries, leave applications, and document management. In 2024 alone, AskHR processed 11.5 million engagements, delivering an estimated $3.5 billion in productivity gains across over 70 job categories. While that level of automation drastically reduces the need for HR staff, it also highlights the future of administrative work: leaner, faster, and increasingly digital. Still, AskHR isn't perfect. About 6% of employee queries still require human resolution—mostly in complex or sensitive situations—underscoring the enduring value of human judgment. 🧠 CEO Arvind Krishna's 'Ready to Be Fired' Mindset At the heart of this cultural evolution is CEO Arvind Krishna, who introduced a bold mindset across IBM: 'Live every day ready to be fired.' The mantra, he argues, encourages risk-taking and innovative thinking within an organization known historically for corporate conservatism. That approach seems to be paying off. Krishna told The Wall Street Journal that AI has not only boosted internal productivity but allowed the company to reinvest in uniquely human roles, rather than eliminate jobs wholesale. 🌏 Shifting Focus to India, Investing in the Future IBM's transformation is also global. The company continues to deepen its operations in India, capitalizing on the region's tech talent and cost efficiencies. This has contributed to a decline in U.S.-based roles, even as global hiring remains strong. IBM is also betting big on future technologies. In addition to AI investments like WatsonX, which allows businesses to build their own AI tools, the company has launched the z17 mainframe —a powerful server designed to run AI workloads on-premise, giving clients more control over sensitive data. This hybrid model of cloud and in-house computing reflects IBM's unique position in a market dominated by cloud-first rivals like AWS, Microsoft, and Google. 🔄 Redesigning the Workforce, Not Replacing It IBM's latest move highlights an emerging industry trend: automation is eliminating routine jobs while creating new demand for roles centered on human intuition, strategic thinking, and complex problem-solving. The challenge for IBM—and for corporations everywhere—is to reskill affected workers, communicate transparently, and embrace change with empathy. As the lines blur between human and machine tasks, IBM's evolving workforce strategy may become a template for tech companies navigating the age of intelligent automation.
