Serendipity35 - Careers & Work

Computers (and AI) Are Not Managers

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:45:00 +0000

Internal IBM document, 1979 (via Fabricio Teixeira)

I saw the quote pictured above that goes back to 1979 when artificial intelligence wasn't part of the conversation. "A computer must never make a management decision," said an internal document at the big computer player of that time, IBM. The why of that statement is because a computer can't be held accountable.

Is the same thing true concerning artificial intelligence 46 years later?

I suspect that AI is currently being used by management to analyze data, identify trends, and even offer recommendations. But I sense there is still the feeling that it should complement, not replace, human leadership.

Why should AI be trusted in a limited way on certain aspects of decision-making?

One reason that goes back at least 46 years is that it lacks "emotional intelligence." Emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) is about balancing emotions and reasoning to make thoughtful decisions, foster meaningful relationships, and navigate social complexities. Management decisions often require a deep understanding of human emotions, workplace dynamics, and ethical considerations — all things AI can't fully grasp or replicate.

Because AI relies on data and patterns and human management often involves unique situations where there might not be clear precedents or data points, many decisions require creativity and empathy.

Considering that 1979 statement, since management decisions can have far-reaching consequences, humans are ultimately accountable for these decisions. Relying on AI alone could raise questions about responsibility when things go wrong. Who is responsible - the person who used the AI, trained the AI or the AI itself? Obviously, we can't reprimand or fire AI, though we could change the AI we use, and revisions can be made to the AI itself to correct for whatever went wrong.

AI systems can unintentionally inherit biases from the data they're trained on. Without proper oversight, this could lead to unfair or unethical decisions. Of course, bias is a part of human decisions and management too.

Management at some levels involves setting long-term visions and values for an organization. THis goes beyond the realm of pure logic and data, requiring imagination, purpose, and human judgment.

So, can AI handle any management decisions in 2025? I asked several AI chatbots that question. (Realizing that AI might have a bias in favor of AI.) Here is a summary of the possibilities given:

Resource Allocation: AI can optimize workflows, assign resources, and balance workloads based on performance metrics and project timelines.

Hiring and Recruitment: AI tools can screen résumés, rank candidates, and even conduct initial video interviews by analyzing speech patterns and keywords.

Performance Analysis: By processing large datasets, AI can identify performance trends, suggest areas for improvement, and even predict future outcomes.

Financial Decisions: AI systems can create accurate budget forecasts, detect anomalies in spending, and provide investment recommendations based on market trends.

Inventory and Supply Chain: AI can track inventory levels, predict demand, and suggest restocking schedules to reduce waste and costs.

Customer Management: AI chatbots and recommendation engines can handle customer queries, analyze satisfaction levels, and identify patterns in customer feedback.

Risk Assessment: AI can evaluate risks associated with projects, contracts, or business decisions by analyzing historical data and current market conditions.

As I write this in March 2025, the news is full of stories of DOGE and Elon Musk's team using AI for things like reviewing email responses from employees, and wanting to use more AI to replace workers and "improve efficiency." AI for management is an area that will be more and more in the news and will be a controversial topic for years to come. I won't be around in another 46 years to write the next article about this, but I have the feeling that the question of whether or not AI belongs in management may be a moot point by then.

Fear of Becoming Obsolete

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:00:00 +0000

The term FOBO appeared in something I was reading recently. It is the fear of becoming obsolete (FOBO) and it is very much a workplace fear and generally connected to aging workers and anyone who fears that they will be replaced by technology.

Of course, AI is a large part of this fear. It's not a new fear. Workers have always considered that they would be considered obsolete as they aged, especially if they did not have the skills that younger employees brought to the workplace. It has been at least two decades of hearing predictions that robots would replace workers. In fact, that was the case, though not to the levels that were sometimes predicted. Artificial intelligence is less obvious as it makes inroads into our work and outside life.

Employers and workers need to be better at recognizing the ways AI is already here and being used. Approximately four in ten Americans use Face ID to log into at least one app on their phone each day. That is about 136 million people. How many think about that as AI?

If you have an electric vehicle, A.I.-powered systems work to manage the energy output. In your gas-powered car, you very likely use an AI-powered GPS for navigation.

One survey I saw found that just 44 percent of the global workforce believe they interact today with AI in their personal lives. But when asked if they used GPS maps and navigation, 66 percent said yes. What about predictive product/entertainment suggestions, such as in Netflix and Spotify? 50 percent said yes. Do you use text editors or autocorrect? A yes from 47 percent. 46 percent use virtual home assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant. Even chatbots like ChatGPT and CoPilot - which are less hidden and more proactive for a user - had a 31 percent yes response.

Most of these are viewed as positive uses of AI, but not all uses are viewed as positive or at least are viewed as somewhat negative. One example of that category is the AI not so positive is its use in filling up newsfeeds. Each social media network - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram et al - has its own A.I.-powered algorithm. It is constantly customizing billions of users’ feeds. You click a like button, or just pause on a post for more than a few seconds,and that information changes your feed accordingly. Plus, the algorithm is made to push certain things to users that were not suggested by your activity but by sponsors or owners. This aspect has been widely criticized since Elon Musk took over Twitter-X, but all the platforms do it to some degree.

Some common applications are both positive and negative. Take the use of artificial intelligence in airports all over the world. It is being used to screen passengers passing through security checkpoints. At least 25 airports across the U.S., including Reagan National in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles International Airport, have started using A.I.-driven facial recognition as part of a pilot project. Eventually, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to expand the ID verification technology to more than 400 airports. This can speed up your passage through security which is something everyone would love to see, but what else is being done with that data, and will the algorithm flag people for the wrong reasons?

Do you want to push back on FOBO, particularly in the workplace? Some suggestions:
Continuous Learning: Stay curious and keep updating your skills. Whether it’s taking a course, attending workshops, or learning new technologies, continuous education is key.
Networking: Engage with your professional community. Networking can provide insights into industry trends and offer support and advice.
Adaptability: Embrace change and be open to new ideas. Flexibility can help you stay relevant.
Mindset Shift: Focus on your unique strengths and contributions. Everyone has something valuable to offer, and feeling obsolete often stems from undervaluing your skills.
Digital Detox: Sometimes, limiting your exposure to social media and other sources of comparison can reduce feelings of inadequacy.
Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from peers, mentors, and colleagues to understand your areas of improvement and strengths.

Gig Work After Retirement

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 13:01:00 +0000

After retirement, some older workers are turning to gig work to keep busy and sharp, as a lifeline, or as a last resort. So reports Rest of World who spoke to 50 older workers worldwide.

Most gig workers globally are relatively young: Research published in 2021 by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency focused on improving working conditions, puts the average age for delivery workers at 29 and the average age for ride-hailing drivers at 36. But older individuals are turning to gig work, and their numbers are expected to grow in the coming years.

For example, a man in São Paulo drives people at least 12 hours a day, and at 62, he doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon. He makes roughly 4000 reais ($790) per month after paying off all expenses; it is now his household’s only income. In a country where the monthly minimum wage is 1,412 reais ($273), it’s a good income.

An unretired gig worker working in a car driven by an unretired gig worker.

I wrote about gig work and "unretirement" on this blog five years ago, and started writing about it 9 years ago on another blog when I decided to do it myself.

The global population of people 65 or older is expected to double by 2050, surpassing 1.6 billion, according to the U.N. At the same time, family units worldwide are transforming, often requiring older people to support themselves for longer. Not all gig workers do it full-time, and for many people (especially younger workers) it supplements other work.

In America, things are different but the trend is still evident. Over the last two decades, the share of the workforce aged 55 or older almost doubled and the government is looking at labor trends like this. By 2028, over a quarter of the workforce will be 55 or older. Inflation has been a factor in forcing retirees back to work. 43 percent of those considering returning to work are doing so because of inflation. One report identifies that older Americans are increasingly turning to the gig economy to supplement their incomes and savings due to its flexibility. Nearly 1 in 3 independent or “gig” workers are over age 55.

So You Want To Be An AI Prompt Engineer

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Tue, 21 May 2024 09:51:00 +0000

When I was teaching in a high school, I used to tell students (and faculty) that we were not preparing them for jobs. I was sure many of our students would end up in jobs with titles that did not exist then. There is a song by The Byrds from the 1960s titled "So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star." In 2024, it could be "So You Want To Be An AI Prompt Engineer."

The role of AI prompt engineer attracted attention for its high-six-figure salaries when it emerged in early 2023. What does this job entail? The principal aim is to help a company integrate AI into its operations. Some people describe the job as more prompter than engineer.

There are already tools that work with apps like OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform that can automate the writing process using sets of built-in prompts. Does that mean that AI will replace AI prompt engineers already? For now, the prompter works to ensure that users get the desired results. They might also be the instructors for other employees on how to use generative AI tools. They become the AI support team. AI can automate "trivial" tasks and make more time for work that requires creative thinking.

What kind of training leads to getting this job? You might think a background in computer science, but probably a strong language and writing ability is more important. People who write in the corporate world might justifiably fear AI will take their jobs away. Being a prompter might be an alternative.

Still, I suspect that there is a good possibility that a prompter/engineer's job might be vulnerable as software becomes better at understanding users’ prompts.

If you are interested in being an AI prompt engineer, I posted last week about some free online courses offered by universities and tech companies that included three courses that relate to creating prompts for AI.

AI Applications and Prompt Engineering is an edX introductory course on prompt engineering that starts with the basics and ends with creating your applications.

Prompt Engineering for ChatGPT is a specific 6-module course from Vanderbilt University (through Coursera) that offers beginners a starting point for writing better prompts.

Another course on ChatGPT Prompt Engineering for Developers is offered by OpenAI in collab with DeepLearning and it is taught by Isa Fulford and Andrew Ng. It covers best practices and includes hands-on practice.

The Soft Skills of AI

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 08:55:00 +0000

Communication is a rising soft skill

AI, especially its subset, generative AI, seems to be changing everything including the workplace. As machines become adept at tasks once considered uniquely human, what does this mean for the workforce, and which worker skills will become more important? For some jobs, AI will simply be complementary to the job, but the prevailing belief is that about half of all jobs will be significantly disrupted by AI.

I have never been a fan of the terms "hard and soft skills" since it seems to make some "soft" skills seem less important. Still, some historically “hard” skills will drop on the hiring credentials.

An article on www.fastcompany.com featured some soft skills that will be important in an AI world.

SOCIAL INTERACTION SKILLSsuch as listening to others in meetings, or collaborating with teammates under pressure, will remain in the human domain. A working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that almost all job growth since 1980 has been seen in jobs that are social-skill intensive, while jobs that require minimal social interaction have been in decline.

CREATIVITY especially in using AI. One study found that knowledge workers who used Chat GPT 4.0 completed 12.2% more tasks, 25,.1% faster and with 40% greater quality over those who did not use AI to perform their work. That’s astonishing data, especially the data on the increased quality level. Human workers who leverage AI and who demonstrate a combination of strong creativity and critical thinking skills will fare the best.

CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS I don't think that critical thinking has ever been off the skills list for jobs. It must be applied to evaluate AI responses since (as you may have discovered already) not all responses will be valid, unbiased, factual, or error-free. AI can generate vast amounts of data, analyses, and potential solutions at unprecedented speed, but the veracity and applicability of generative AI’s responses are not guaranteed. A uniquely human skill is to think critically.

CURIOSITY is that innate drive to explore, understand, and seek information about the world around us. AI is not curious unless it is told to be or programmed to seek out information. Workers ask questions, probe into things, challenge assumptions and delve deeper.

Yes, the rise of AI will fundamentally alter the nature of skills deemed crucial in the workplace. While some hard skills and jobs will disappear for workers, some soft skills will remain human-only and therefore will become more important - perhaps "harder" - than ever.

Begin. End. The Waning Days of Coding

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:11:00 +0000

A piece in The New Yorker (not exactly a technology magazine) titled "A Coder Considers the Waning Days of the Craft," set me thinking about what tech careers will be lost in the near and far future. Yes, artificial intelligence plays into this, but there are other factors too. Coding seems to be a likely candidate for being on the decline.

The author, James Somers, says that, "Coding has always felt to me like an endlessly deep and rich domain. Now I find myself wanting to write a eulogy for it." With his wife pregnant, he wonders that "...by the time that child can type, coding as a valuable skill might have faded from the world."

It is an interesting read. Kind of a memoir of a coder.

Schools still teach coding. Coders are still working. The question is for for how long? Should a student in middle school think about it as a career? I used to tell my middle school students that a lot of them will go into careers that have titles that don't exist today. Who can predict?

Somers concludes:

"So maybe the thing to teach isn’t a skill but a spirit. I sometimes think of what I might have been doing had I been born in a different time. The coders of the agrarian days probably futzed with waterwheels and crop varietals; in the Newtonian era, they might have been obsessed with glass, and dyes, and timekeeping. I was reading an oral history of neural networks recently, and it struck me how many of the people interviewed—people born in and around the nineteen-thirties—had played with radios when they were little. Maybe the next cohort will spend their late nights in the guts of the A.I.s their parents once regarded as black boxes. I shouldn’t worry that the era of coding is winding down. Hacking is forever."

The future of coding is likely to be affected by all of these factors:

Artificial Intelligence and Automation: AI is already influencing coding through tools that assist developers in writing code, debugging, and optimizing algorithms. As AI continues to advance, it may take on more complex coding tasks, allowing developers to focus on higher-level design and problem-solving.

Low-Code/No-Code Development: The rise of low-code and no-code platforms is making it easier for individuals with limited programming experience to create applications. This trend could democratize software development, enabling a broader range of people to participate in creating digital solutions.

Increased Specialization: With the growing complexity of technology, developers are likely to become more specialized in particular domains or technologies. This could lead to a more segmented job market, with experts in areas like AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, etc.

Remote Collaboration and Distributed Development: Remote work has become more prevalent, and this trend is likely to continue. Tools and practices for collaborative and distributed development will become increasingly important.

Ethical Coding and Responsible AI: As technology plays a more central role in our lives, the ethical considerations of coding will become more critical. Developers will need to be mindful of the societal impact of their creations and consider ethical principles in their coding practices.

Continuous Learning: The pace of technological change is rapid, and developers will need to embrace a mindset of continuous learning. Staying updated with the latest tools, languages, and methodologies will be crucial.

Quantum Computing: While still in its early stages, quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize certain aspects of coding, particularly in solving complex problems that are currently intractable for classical computers.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): As AR and VR technologies become more widespread, developers will likely be involved in creating immersive experiences and applications that leverage these technologies.

Cybersecurity Emphasis: With the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats, coding with a focus on security will be paramount. Developers will need to incorporate secure coding practices and stay vigilant against emerging threats.

Environmental Sustainability: As concerns about climate change grow, there may be a greater emphasis on sustainable coding practices, including optimizing code for energy efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of data centers.

How do I know this? Because I asked a chatbot to tell me the future of coding.

Jobs and Bots

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 11:39:00 +0000

Workers are already using bots to help them work. Will that AI replace them?

On the same day, I saw three articles about artificial intelligence that made me view AI in different ways. One article was about how a chatbot powered by the Internet has passed exams at a U.S. law school after writing essays on law topics. Another article was about a company that is developing AI for warfare, but said they would only sell it to "democratic nations." The third article was about how AI makes the translation of difficult "dead" languages as well as interpreting medical tests faster and more accurately.

Jonathan Choi, a professor at Minnesota University Law School, gave ChatGPT the same test faced by students. It had 95 multiple-choice questions and 12 essay questions. He reported that the bot scored a C+ overall.

In my own essay testing, I have found that the bot can produce in seconds a "C" paper or the start of a better paper. It is impressive but it is not like a really good student's work. So far.

But many of the AI bot stories in the media are about jobs that are likely to be replaced by AI. One popular media story at cbsnews.com/ supposes that computer programmers and people doing administrative work that they term "mid-level writing" can be handled by AI. That latter category would include work like writing emails, human resources letters, producing advertising copy, and drafting press releases. Of course, there is always the possibility that a worker doing that could be freed from those tasks and put onto higher level tasks and actually benefit from the AI.

I have seen positive and negative results from using AI in media work and law. Some of the negative examples seem to me to be when the user expects too much from AI at this stage in its development.

I don't think we know today what AI and bots will change in the world of work by next year, but it is certainly an area that requires concern by individuals and those who can affect the broader culture.

Productivity Paranoia

ronkowitz@gmail.com (Kenneth Ronkowitz) — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 08:47:00 +0000

The term "productivity paranoia” was a new one for me when I encountered it in a conversation. I had to admit ignorance and ask the speaker for a definition. I was told that this is when some bosses fear that remote employees aren’t working enough despite data showing just the opposite. He said, "Yeah, they get the work done, but I suspect they are also walking the dog, running errands and watching their kids during what should be 'working hours'."

Defined by Microsoft as a scenario “where leaders fear that lost productivity is due to employees not working, even though hours worked, number of meetings, and other activity metrics have increased,” productivity paranoia is mostly associated with remote/virtual and hybrid workers.

Productivity paranoia is prevalent enough that some companies have invested in expensive technology to monitor their employees’ whereabouts and active time online. Tracking software, surveillance cameras, and GPS data are all possibilities and in one survey 97% of business leaders surveyed believed such software has increased workers’ productivity.

Image:StockSnap from Pixabay

But couldn't this level of tracking bordering on "surveillance" have negative effects on workers and perhaps on their productivity?

Some articles say that those who are so monitored tend to be less loyal and more distrustful of their employers. It certainly is a more stressful work environment.

Another article says that "the average adult’s focused attention span is between 90 and 120 minutes and peaks at about 45 minutes" and that "taking a 10-minute break between a working interval of up to 90 minutes can help reset your attention span and keep cognitive momentum going."

For me, that is too long a span. As I am an almost entirely virtual worker now, I have found myself using the "Pomodoro method."

When you start a task (not a project, but a piece of it), set a timer and work on that task for 25 minutes. Then, take a short break (3-5 minutes). Start working on the task again for 25 minutes and repeat until it’s completed. Not only is that short break good for your brain and concentration but physically it is important for you to get out of a chair and move.