WSJ Tech News Briefing

Bold Names: The CEO Who Says Cheaper AI Could Actually Mean More Jobs

Dec 7, 2024

Aaron Levie, CEO of Box, shares insights on how cheaper AI is reshaping the workforce. He argues that while AI excels at data management tasks, it could actually create more jobs by automating routine processes. Levie emphasizes Box's commitment to a 'model agnostic' strategy, allowing flexibility in adopting various AI technologies. The discussion also touches on the evolving role of AI in boosting productivity and the competitive landscape faced by companies as they adapt to these technological advancements.

29:44

Episode guests

Aaron Levie

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

AI integration enhances data management and insights, empowering businesses to use unstructured data effectively for improved decision-making.

Levy argues that cheaper AI can augment human capabilities, potentially increasing job opportunities rather than leading to widespread layoffs.

Deep dives

The Role of Box in Data Management

Box plays a crucial role in the management of unstructured data for a wide range of organizations, providing a platform that securely stores and organizes essential content like contracts, marketing materials, and research documents. By allowing companies to digitize their information and streamline access, Box enables improved workflows and collaboration. The majority of data within enterprises is unstructured, comprising emails and various files that previously lacked efficient querying capabilities. With the integration of AI, Box transforms how users can extract insights from this unstructured data, making it possible to ask questions and obtain relevant answers that drive business decisions.

Intro

2min

AI's Transformative Impact on Data Management

13min

Geopolitical Impacts of AI Commoditization and Sovereignty

2min

The Rise of Sovereign AI: Geopolitics and Future Employment

4min

AI: Boosting Productivity and Efficiency

8min

Cloud storage used to be a sleepy part of the computing world but, with artificial intelligence becoming cheaper than ever, the companies collecting and protecting that data are now a hot investment. That includes cloud storage company Box, which has seen its stock climb nearly 40% this year. Its customers include most of the Fortune 500, including movie studios, automakers, consumer electronics giants, marketing firms and the Pentagon. Box CEO Aaron Levie says AI is getting better at piecing through 90% of companies’ data that previously was an intractable mess, and is doing some tasks better than humans – from processing invoices and parsing contracts to building marketing campaigns. So why does he think that could actually lead to more jobs for humans? Plus, why his company plans to stay “model agnostic” and continue to work with all the major artificial intelligence models, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. He speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins in episode four of our interview series Bold Names.