AI Eliminates Jobs At Intuit and UKG, But Not The Way You Thought
Jul 13, 2024
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Layoffs at UKG and Intuit reveal a surprising twist in AI's role in workforce changes. CEOs highlight a ‘pre-replacement’ of human roles as they pivot towards tech investment. Underperformers were let go first, suggesting strategic moves to enhance team skills. The growing costs of AI are prompting a shift in resource allocation from labor to technology. This transformation raises questions for CEOs on future employment dynamics and the necessity for upskilling workers in an increasingly automated world.
The layoffs at Intuit and UKG illustrate a strategic shift towards AI, where underperforming employees are replaced to enhance overall workforce effectiveness.
As companies adopt AI, there is a critical need for employees to upgrade their skills, emphasizing the importance of talent density in future job markets.
Deep dives
Impact of AI on Workforce Layoffs
Recent layoffs at UKG and Intuit have highlighted the financial pressures associated with implementing AI technologies in businesses. UKG announced job cuts amounting to 14% of its workforce, while Intuit followed suit with a 10% reduction. These layoffs are not primarily driven by AI taking over functions but rather arise from the high costs of developing and deploying AI solutions. As companies reallocate funds from human resources to support AI initiatives, they encounter challenges in balancing labor expenses with necessary investments in technology, leading to a reevaluation of personnel costs.
Performance Management and AI Integration
The layoffs at Intuit included a significant portion of underperforming staff, raising questions about the company's performance management processes. The CEO noted that about 1,050 employees were let go for not meeting performance expectations, suggesting potential weaknesses in how performance is assessed and managed. As AI automates a substantial share of white-collar jobs, businesses may feel pressured to enhance the performance of their remaining employees, necessitating a shift in focus from retaining low-performing individuals to fostering talent density. The integration of AI is prompting companies to rethink their strategies for managing workforce effectiveness and maximizing productivity.
Opportunities for Upskilling in the Age of AI
The emergence of AI in various industries prompts a critical evaluation of skills needed for future employment. As AI takes over repetitive tasks, employees are encouraged to upgrade their skills to remain valuable in their roles. The podcast emphasizes that white-collar professionals must adapt to using AI tools and reassess their contribution to the organization to justify their positions against the efficiency of AI. This shift not only presents challenges but also offers opportunities for individuals to develop new competencies and enhance their relevance in a changing job landscape.
In this podcast I discuss the recent layoffs at UKG and Intuit and how AI played a role quite different than we expected. In both cases the CEOs tell us that AI is the future and that they need large amounts of capital to invest in this new capability, thus they are “pre-replacing” human capital with technology.
In addition to this, as I discuss, both companies (Intuit in some detail) describe how “underperformers” were the first to go. So these are somewhat strategic moves to “re-hire” their teams and upgrade skills. And this also points out the very large cost of AI, which forces CEOs to redeploy financial resources from labor to capital.
Lots of subtle implications here, and I have to believe other CEOs will look at this and consider the same moves.