SXSW Shines Light on the Era of Co-existing with AI

Austin, Texas – As artificial intelligence (AI) seeps into virtually every industry, the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival this past week put a spotlight on this technological revolution and its implications for the job market. Leading figures from IBM, Forbes, Handshake, and the Society for Human Resource Management convened to discuss the transforming landscape of careers and talent acquisition in the era of AI.

Facing the Fear of Job Change

Nickle LaMoreaux, IBM Senior Vice President, underlined the need to prepare for a significant shift in the job market due to AI. “The thing we need to be rightfully scared about is job change and how we are going to get ready for that,” stated LaMoreaux. With declining birth rates potentially leading to talent shortages, AI may well become an indispensable solution.

Advantage New Graduates

As AI gains traction in workplaces, recent college graduates may find themselves having an edge. Companies will increasingly seek individuals who can rapidly learn and adapt to AI. LaMoreaux said, “Applying these tools to the deep domain expertise and business processes, and I think it will be exciting to see these companies that get that right.”

Not Job Loss, but Job Change

While apprehensions about job loss due to AI persist, LaMoreaux emphasized that “very few jobs can be replaced by AI.” AI is set to reshape how we perform tasks but will not eradicate jobs. She speculated that about 1-2% of jobs might be impacted by AI, necessitating a shift in how the workforce engages with AI.

Boosting Jobs with AI

Contrary to fears, AI might actually generate more jobs than it makes redundant. “There’s other research out there that shows that AI will actually generate more jobs than it eliminates. Those people who are AI-savvy and have AI skills could replace those who do not have the skills,” noted Jim Link, Chief Human Resources Officer at the Society for Human Resource Management.

Growing with AI, Not Replacing Humans

Despite some organizations leaning towards AI for non-customer-facing roles, the focus should remain on growing with AI rather than replacing human roles. “A lot of companies want to be in growth mode when it comes to AI. They don’t want to make people’s jobs disappear, but they do want to help them with AI,” reflected LaMoreaux.

Preparing for a Future with AI

The key takeaway from the panel was the necessity to embrace AI and refine the relevant skills. LaMoreaux asserted, “AI is going to affect everybody’s job – the foundation, the thought process, the ways of working that is going to continue. We just need to be comfortable with giving up control.” The future with AI calls for agility, a readiness to learn, and developing soft skills to effectively interact with the technology.

Ready for a Bold New World

The SXSW panel conclusively highlighted that the future is not about resisting AI, but about co-existing with it. Acquiring AI skills and adapting to new ways of working will be instrumental in staying relevant and successful in the evolving landscape of work.