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Young people early in their careers are understandably alarmed by reports that their jobs are most at risk from AI automation. Some are even reconsidering their career choices due to whats been dubbed AI anxiety. But job seekers shouldnt give up. People whose jobs are threatened by AI must look for ways to play to their strengths and their human qualities. They should focus on the many areas where humans outshine AIthings like relationship building, resourcefulness, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and leadership. For much of the labor force, of course, it wont be possible to avoid AI completely. Many occupations will involve working with AI not just as an assistive tool but, increasingly, as a coworker. Job seekers arent alone in their concerns about the future of work. Business leaders are grappling with questions of how AI will impact jobs, skills, and the workforce broadly. The answers will require leaders to focus on what it is that human workers do best and where they can add the greatest value. Evidence of these macro forces is coming from all directions. A report from Stanford University, based on payroll data, found that AI is beginning to have a significant and disproportionate impact on entry-level workers. Stanford researchers concluded that 22 to 25 years old occupations most exposed to AI have faced a 13% relative decline in employment. AUTOMATION VERSUS AUGMENTATION Thats the glass half empty. The Stanford report included some encouraging indicators, including that overall employment is still growing and that wages havent been negatively affected. Employment for workers in less exposed fields and more experienced workers in the same occupations has remained stable or continued to grow, the researchers wrote. And its important to draw distinctions between different types of work. Many experts see a line of demarcation between automation and augmentation. Stanford found that entry-level employment declined in roles where AI automates or substitutes for work, but not where it augments work. Its easy to see why. Basic tasks like transcription, report generation, and scheduling dont require extensive education or training. Thats not to say those functions are unimportantwe depend on them dailybut AI can do the same, in some cases faster and better. And AI is moving up the skills stack into areas such as design, content creation, code writing, and customer support. For higher-level work, AI augmentation has the potential to make us better at what we do rather than replace us. For example, AI agents integrated with collaboration tools can automatically present insights in near real time to help business professionals make smarter decisions. And AI chatbots interacting with customers or prospects can detect and escalate opportunities to salespeople, who can add the human touch. DEVELOP NEW SKILLS AS A CAREER BUFFER Implementing AI for automation or augmentation isnt an either/or decision. Many organizations will do both, and there are nuances as we forge ahead. The model provider Anthropic drills deeper into the topic of automation and augmentation in its usage tracking report. Anthropic looks at automation in two ways: directive conversations, where theres minimal interaction between AI and humans; and feedback loops, where humans relay outcomes back to the model. As for augmentation, Anthropic subdivides it into learning, task iteration, and validation. In short: Our AI touchpoints will be many and varied. So, rather than worrying too much about the downsides of automation, our energies may be better spent upskilling for the myriad ways that human workers can benefit from AI augmentation to achieve more. Investing time and effort in AI-readiness can help serve as a career buffer by keeping workers current with new technologies and business demands. Talent managers in hiring roles will put a premium on people with the moxie to not just survive, but thrive alongside AI. THE FLIP SIDE OF AUTOMATION: HUMAN EXCELLENCE Heres another ray of hope. Luiza Jarovsky, cofounder of the AI, Tech & Privacy Academy and an expert in AI governance, writes on Substack that demand for excellent professionals is rising. Why such a positive outlook? AI outputs can be suboptimal and may require a human in the loop, Jarovsky argues. AI-first companies, she writes, are realizing that full automation disconnected from excellent human work fails to meet legal, ethical, and quality standards. So, the debate over AIs impact can be framed both as challenge and opportunity. Case in point: Inc.com reports that starting salaries for workers with AI skills have risen 12% compared to a year ago. Thats the flip side of automation. As I think about the young adults in my own household who are contemplating their career paths, I will encourage them to pursue their interests with enthusiasm and commitment, but also resilience. Its too early to know how AI will impact our livelihoods. But the ability to adapt, redirect and keep growing will be invaluable no matter the ups and downs. Amit Walia is CEO of Informatica.
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E-Commerce
If youre flying later this month, you may need to temper your expectations now: The major U.S. airlines are warning that flight disruptions could persist even after the government shutdown ends. The longest government shutdown in U.S. history seemingly has an end in sight now that the Senate passed legislation Monday night to end the shutdown. But the recent flurry of canceled and delayed flights could continue, warned a trade group made up of the major U.S.-based airlinesAmerican, Southwest, Delta, and Unitedas well as UPS and FedEx. Airlines reduced flight schedules cannot immediately bounce back to full capacity right after the government reopens, Airlines for America said in a statement on Monday. It will take time, and there will be residual effects for days. STRAIN ON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS Federal workers that include air traffic controllers and TSA agents who have continued working during the shutdown have seen two consecutive zero-dollar paycheck cycles. And thats led to some employees calling out sick, taking on extra work elsewhereor even quitting their jobs altogether because of the stress the shutdown has inflicted. Thats unlike whats happened during past government shutdowns, and notably the one in 2019, Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, told CNN last week. Further compounding issues, he said, is that there are 400 fewer air traffic controllers employed today than during the shutdown during Trumps first time in office. Controllers are resigning every day now because of the prolonged nature of the shutdown. And following the 2019 shutdown, it took up to two and a half months for these employees to get their back pay, Daniels told CNN. President Donald Trump threatened on Monday to dock the pay of those air traffic controllers who have called out during the shutdown with a blanket instruction to report to work immediately. The president also said he would recommend a bonus of $10,000 for those air traffic controllers who didnt take any time off during the shutdown in a post on Truth Social. Trump also went so far as to encourage some government employees to quit. If you want to leave service in the near future, please do not hesitate to do so, with NO payment or severance of any kind! he wrote. FOCUS ON THANKSGIVING Air travel disruptions have been an increased focus of his administration in recent days. On Sunday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a dire outlook, warning that a substantial number of Americans wont make it home for Thanksgiving on Nov. 27. In 2024, AAA projected that 5.84 million would fly domestically for the holiday, about 7% of the total number of travelers. Another aviation and aerospace trade group, Modern Skies, put this years Thanksgiving travel estimate much higher, at 31 million. In an open letter to Congress on Tuesday, the group of 50-plus aviation and aerospace companies, organizations, and unions, urged an immediate end to the shutdown. The job of keeping aviation safe and secure is tough every day, but forcing federal employees to do it without pay is unacceptable, Modern Skies said in the letter published in The Washington Post. Without immediate government action, the federal employees charged with the safety of our aviation system are missing paychecks again this week. WIDESPREAD DISRUPTIONS During the shutdown that has stretched on for six weeks, more than 5 million travelers have been affected by airline staffing issues, according to Airlines for America. Reductions to flight capacity at 40 major airports began last week, with the amount expected to ramp up to 10% by this Friday. But cancellations have already topped that amount according to reporting by CNBC. On Sunday, 10.2% of scheduled flights were cancelled, followed by 8.7% on Monday, the news outlet reported, citing data from aviation-data firm Cirium. Though the strain of the government shutdown has been widespreadincluding halting SNAP benefits for 41 million Americansits been especially evident at airports. It took as long as three hours last week for travelers to get through the TSA lines at the Houston airport, according to reporting by CBS News. And a video went viral in recent days of a frustrated pilot who works for Southwest Airlines urging passengers on a flight to call their senators to end the shutdown. The House of Representatives could vote on the legislation approved by the Senate to end the shutdown as soon as Wednesday, following the Veterans Day holiday.
Category:
E-Commerce
You may see more smiles next time you walk into a Target. That’s because the big box retailer is hoping to provide an “elevated” customer experience with it’s new “10-4” policy, requiring staffers out on the floor to smile, wave, and welcome customers within 10 feetand greet those just 4 feet away, USA Today reported. Fast Company has reached out to Target for comment. The policy comes less than three weeks before Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, which officially kicks off the busiest and most profitable time of the year. Many stores, including Target, have already begun to roll out their Black Friday sales this year. Target’s early 2025 Black Friday sales first dropped the first week in November and continue this month online, with week-long deals every Sunday through December 24. That’s as two-thirds of Americans plan to start holiday shopping before Black Friday this year, according to August data from consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Looking ahead, Target’s official Black Friday sale drops online on Thanksgiving day, Thursday, November 27 and in-store on Friday, November 28, ending on Tuesday, December 2. Shares of Target (NYSE: TGT) were up nearly 1% in midday trading at $91.40. Target financials Target Corporation’s second quarter earnings results beat expectations with $25.21 billion in revenue, versus an expected $24.93 billion, and earnings per share (EPS) of $2.05 versus an expected $2.03. However, it posted in-store and online traffic declines due both to inflation and consumer economic concerns, as well as boycotts triggered by its rollback on DEI. The Minneapolis-based retailer announced in October it was cutting 8% of its corporate workforce, or 1,800 positions.
Category:
E-Commerce
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