Latest news with #ReidHoffman
India Today
11 hours ago
- Business
- India Today
LinkedIn Cofounder Reid Hoffman says people are underestimating impact of AI on jobs, rejects bloodbath fears
Many professionals are worried about AI taking over jobs, especially in white-collar roles. However, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman believes that the fear of AI, particularly the panic over mass job losses, is all due to its exaggeration. Hoffman believes that while AI will certainly bring significant transformation to the job sector, there will be no bloodbath for white-collar made these comments in response to a statement by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei during an interview with Fast Company. Amodei had told Axios that AI could lead to a dramatic overhaul of white-collar work. While Hoffman acknowledged that change is inevitable, he dismissed the idea that the rise of AI would spell catastrophe for is right that over, call it, a decade or three, it will bring a massive set of job transformations. And some of that transformation will involve replacement issues,' Hoffman said. He emphasised that the shift in jobs due to AI should not be confused with total job destruction. 'Just because a function's coming that has a replacement area on a certain set of tasks doesn't mean all of this job's going to get replaced.' To support his views, Hoffman pointed to the example of the launch of spreadsheet software like Excel. He highlighted that although Excel impacted the nature of accounting work, it did not eliminate the need for accountants. Instead, the accounting profession evolved and even expanded in scope. 'Everyone was predicting that the accountant job would go away. And actually, in fact, the accountant job got broader, richer,' he maintains a clear view that, in future, AI will assist humans rather than replace them entirely. He envisions a world of 'person plus AI doing things' as the most likely scenario going forward. Therefore, AI-powered tools like GPT-4, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot should be used to enhance departments — not eliminate them. He warns that trying to completely substitute humans with AI would be a serious mistake. 'Could I just replace, for example, my accountants with GPT-4? The answer is absolutely not. That would be a disastrous mistake.'The LinkedIn co-founder also pushed back against the notion that automation through AI would wipe out entire departments. 'Let's replace my marketing department or my sales department with GPT-4. Absolutely not,' he said, adding, 'that's nowhere close to a bloodbath.'However, Hoffman is not denying the potential for job replacement altogether. He acknowledges that some roles are more vulnerable — especially those that have already been reduced to scripted, mechanical tasks. 'What jobs are most likely to be replaced? They're the ones where we're trying to program human beings to act like robots.' Yet, even in such cases, Hoffman believes AI will not take over everything. Much will depend on how companies choose to implement AI in their workflows.
Hans India
11 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
Reid Hoffman Downplays AI Job Loss Fears, Urges Focus on Human-AI Collaboration
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has pushed back against growing anxiety over artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on employment, especially among white-collar workers. In a recent conversation sparked by comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Hoffman argued that while AI will indeed change the landscape of work, fears of an all-out "job bloodbath" are exaggerated. Amodei had earlier warned of AI driving a significant overhaul of white-collar jobs, raising concerns about the replacement of human roles. Hoffman, however, offered a more balanced perspective. 'Dario is right that over, call it, a decade or three, it will bring a massive set of job transformations. And some of that transformation will involve replacement issues,' he admitted. But he quickly clarified that this shift doesn't equate to widespread unemployment. 'Just because a function's coming that has a replacement area on a certain set of tasks doesn't mean all of this job's going to get replaced.' Hoffman pointed to historical parallels to support his view, citing the example of Microsoft Excel. When spreadsheet software was introduced, many feared it would render accountants obsolete. Instead, the field evolved. 'Everyone was predicting that the accountant job would go away. And actually, in fact, the accountant job got broader, richer,' he said. According to Hoffman, the future of work lies in symbiosis between humans and machines. He imagines a workplace where employees are empowered, not displaced, by AI tools such as GPT-4, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot. These technologies, he insists, should be used to enhance productivity, not eliminate human effort. 'Could I just replace, for example, my accountants with GPT-4? The answer is absolutely not. That would be a disastrous mistake,' Hoffman warned. Hoffman strongly cautioned against wholesale automation, particularly the idea of removing entire departments. 'Let's replace my marketing department or my sales department with GPT-4. Absolutely not,' he said. 'That's nowhere close to a bloodbath.' While Hoffman does acknowledge that some roles are at greater risk—especially those made up of repetitive or scripted tasks—he believes the potential for AI to replace such jobs has more to do with how businesses choose to deploy these technologies. 'What jobs are most likely to be replaced? They're the ones where we're trying to program human beings to act like robots,' he said. In conclusion, Hoffman remains optimistic about AI's role in the job market. Instead of viewing AI as a threat, he believes it should be seen as a powerful partner. 'Person plus AI doing things' is the model he champions — one where human judgment, creativity, and adaptability remain essential. As the debate around AI and jobs continues, Hoffman's call for cautious optimism and thoughtful implementation serves as a timely reminder: transformation does not have to mean elimination.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman says people are underestimating AI's impact on jobs, but it won't be a 'bloodbath'
Reid Hoffman said AI will transform jobs, but he doesn't think it will cause a 'bloodbath.' The LinkedIn cofounder was referring to comments made by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei last month. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has also disagreed with Anthropic's AI job loss predictions. Reid Hoffman, the venture capitalist who cofounded LinkedIn, said AI will transform jobs, but he rejected the idea that it will result in a "bloodbath" for job seekers. "Yes, I think people are underestimating AI's impact on jobs," Hoffman said on an episode of the Rapid Response podcast, released Tuesday. "But I think inducing panic as a response is serving media announcement purposes," he said, "and not actually, in fact, intelligent industry and economic and career path planning." The podcast's host, Bob Safian, asked Hoffman about comments made by Dario Amodei, CEO of AI firm Anthropic, in May. In an interview with Axios, Amodei warned that AI companies and governments needed to stop "sugarcoating" the potential for mass job losses in white-collar industries like finance, law, and consulting. "We, as the producers of this technology, have a duty and an obligation to be honest about what is coming," Amodei said. He estimated that AI could spike unemployment by up to 20% in the next five years, and may eliminate half of entry-level white-collar jobs within that same period. Hoffman said he had called the Anthropic CEO to discuss it. "'Bloodbath' is a very good way to grab internet headlines, media headlines," Hoffman said. (Axios, not Amodei, used the phrase "white-collar bloodbath.") But, Hoffman added, "bloodbath just implies everything going away." He said he disagreed with this assessment, believing that transformation, not mass elimination, of jobs is a more likely outcome. "Dario is right that over a decade or three, there will be a massive set of job transformation," Hoffman said. But he compared it to the introduction of tools like Microsoft Excel, which were believed by some at the time to mark the end of accountancy roles. "In fact, the accountant job got broader, richer," Hoffman said. He added: "Just because a function's coming that has a replacement area on a certain set of tasks doesn't mean all of this job's going to get replaced." Instead of AI eliminating roles, Hoffman predicted: "We at least have many years, if not a long time, of person-plus-AI doing things." Hoffman isn't the only business leader to question Amodei's AI doomsday prophecy. Speaking at VivaTech in Paris earlier this month, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said he and Amodei "pretty much disagree with almost everything" on AI. "One, he believes that AI is so scary that only they should do it," Huang said. "Two, that AI is so expensive, nobody else should do it." Huang added, "And three, AI is so incredibly powerful that everyone will lose their jobs, which explains why they should be the only company building it." Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Read the original article on Business Insider
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman's tip to Gen Z graduates: ‘AI makes you enormously attractive'
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist, has a clear message for the Class of 2025 and beyond: embrace artificial intelligence, not fear it. In a video shared on his YouTube channel this week, Hoffman urged recent graduates to leverage their intuitive understanding of AI tools as a core advantage in the evolving job market. 'You are Generation AI—you're AI-native,' Hoffman said. 'Highlighting your comfort with AI in your skillset makes you a compelling candidate in today's job landscape.' Hoffman, also a partner at Greylock Partners, was responding to student-submitted questions about how to navigate the job search in a tech-disrupted world. Many of the queries reflected anxieties around how AI could potentially displace entry-level roles. Acknowledging these concerns, Hoffman noted that while AI is indeed reshaping traditional workflows, particularly at the entry level, it is also creating new opportunities for digitally savvy young professionals to differentiate themselves. 'Yes, it's disrupting entry-level tasks and causing uncertainty among employers,' Hoffman said. 'But it's also a chance to stand out. You can use AI to showcase your creativity, efficiency, and problem-solving abilities—skills that more senior colleagues might still be developing.' Hoffman encouraged graduates to frame their AI fluency not just as technical knowledge, but as a collaborative strength—one that could help modernise teams and enhance productivity in legacy work environments. The comments come amid broader discussions on AI's impact on the global workforce, with many employers still figuring out how to integrate generative AI tools into business processes without diminishing human roles. For digitally fluent Gen Z professionals, this uncertainty may well be a strategic advantage. Earlier, Hoffman cautioned against the growing trend of portraying AI systems as emotional companions, arguing that such framing risks undermining human relationships and emotional well-being, reported Business Insider.
Mint
2 days ago
- Business
- Mint
LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman's advice to Gen Z graduates: 'AI is not a threat, embrace it'
Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and a prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist, has a clear message for the Class of 2025 and beyond: embrace artificial intelligence, not fear it. In a video shared on his YouTube channel this week, Hoffman urged recent graduates to leverage their intuitive understanding of AI tools as a core advantage in the evolving job market. 'You are Generation AI—you're AI-native,' Hoffman said. 'Highlighting your comfort with AI in your skillset makes you a compelling candidate in today's job landscape.' Hoffman, also a partner at Greylock Partners, was responding to student-submitted questions about how to navigate the job search in a tech-disrupted world. Many of the queries reflected anxieties around how AI could potentially displace entry-level roles. Acknowledging these concerns, Hoffman noted that while AI is indeed reshaping traditional workflows, particularly at the entry level, it is also creating new opportunities for digitally savvy young professionals to differentiate themselves. 'Yes, it's disrupting entry-level tasks and causing uncertainty among employers,' Hoffman said. 'But it's also a chance to stand out. You can use AI to showcase your creativity, efficiency, and problem-solving abilities—skills that more senior colleagues might still be developing.' Hoffman encouraged graduates to frame their AI fluency not just as technical knowledge, but as a collaborative strength—one that could help modernise teams and enhance productivity in legacy work environments. The comments come amid broader discussions on AI's impact on the global workforce, with many employers still figuring out how to integrate generative AI tools into business processes without diminishing human roles. For digitally fluent Gen Z professionals, this uncertainty may well be a strategic advantage. Earlier, Hoffman cautioned against the growing trend of portraying AI systems as emotional companions, arguing that such framing risks undermining human relationships and emotional well-being, reported Business Insider. During the Possible podcast, Hoffman asserted that no current AI tool possesses the emotional depth required to qualify as a friend, and that suggesting otherwise could be psychologically harmful, added the publication. 'I don't think any AI tool today is capable of being a friend,' he said. 'And I think if it's pretending to be a friend, you're actually harming the person in so doing.'
