Microsoft holds a fair bit of sway over the enterprise world.
Since the decline of IBM, probably no other company has stepped in the way Microsoft did. The fact that Windows is still the dominant operating system on personal computers means that it is invited into most offices.
This provides the company with a tremendous opportunity with its clients.
One of the best selling point for any business is to save money. Any product or service that can do that will be a homerun within that entity.
It does seem like Microsoft is looking to provide exactly that. By leveraging its AI system, we might see the situation where jobs are targeted.
AI Agents Are Coming For Jobs
Is it hype or the start of a major shift?
At this point, it is too early to tell. However, it is only a matter of time before AI comes for the jobs and Microsoft might be leading the charge.
Virtual employees?
This is something that can easily be brushed off. So far, where applicable, AI is being promoted as an aid to employees. With the level of technological advancement, this might well be the case.
However, how long will that last.
Microsoft is developing an enterprise-level Copilot tool that enables companies to build custom AI applications. Clients can create chatbots to interface with customers or AI "agents" that automate internal tasks. The Redmond firm started a closed beta earlier this year, and a public testing phase will begin next month.
The key here is that Microsoft is enabling companies to build agents that automate internal tasks. This will obviously free up those people to do other things....or make them redundant.
Here is where the potential problem for employees dwells. For the moment it is an aid. However, as the capabilities expand further, it is possible that enough internal tasks could be automated that employees are let go.
This is something that can happen across the board.
We are not dealing with anything industry specific. Microsoft's software works in any industry. The agents will be custom designed to meet the needs of each company. That is the power being brought to the table.
Of course, Microsoft is denying this as a potential outcome.
The concept of "virtual employees" could inflame one of the primary concerns regarding generative AI: that it might displace human workers. However, Microsoft stresses that Copilot agents simply automate tedious tasks, freeing employees to focus on higher-level responsibilities.
Jobs Will Be Lost In Large Numbers
I know many profess that "technology always creates more jobs than it destroys". This is the long time narrative of futurists and technologists.
Leaving aside the fact that I do not think the data over the last quarter century supports this, we are certainly in a different period.
It is easy to compare what is taking place today to the Industrial Revolution. To me, that is not valid. Trying to compare software (bits) to machines (atoms) doesn't mesh. The pace of change in the digital world is simply astounding when lined up against the physical realm.
Knowledge world never was threatened to such a degree. We already we see the impact on the entertainment industry.
What gets most devastating is how the tentacles spread out.
For example, generative AI is starting to enter film making. Again, this is early on. However, for each scene that is generated, consider what is impacted. actors, set designers, camera people, make up personnel, and prop departments aLll suffer. So does wardrobe, set builders, and businesses that cater to all these people while working.
This is overlooked in most models.
Microsoft is simply one company in the AI race. Co-pilot is something that is going to expand in capability. It is not, however, the only game in town.
Salesforce, Adobe, and Oracle are companies that are adding AI capabilities to their software. This is not even taking into account what Google, Meta, and OpenAi are doing.
There are probably 7-10 large language model (LLM) builders. Then we have another untold number of companies who are using that as a basis for other AI services.
Each week, we see a lot more being rolled out. It is an ongoing process that is not likely to stop anytime soon.
Eventually, enough tasks lead to jobs.