BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) – Thousands of layoffs at a company called Oracle are raising questions about the future of work as the tech giant cuts jobs and invests billions in artificial intelligence.
Oracle is the latest company linked to mass layoffs, part of a growing trend of companies pouring money into AI. However, workforce strategy expert Marcus Mossberger says AI isn’t the real reason people are losing their jobs.
“AI is just used as an excuse. It is not the root cause. So they are prioritizing AI investments over their people,” Mossberger said.
Mossberger says this moment is more about business decisions than technology. He says companies like Oracle need to do more to retain employees by retraining and redeploying their skills rather than letting them go.
“It’s just a lack of planning, a lack of clarity, and again, an underinvestment in what I would call workforce development,” Mossberger said.
Yet AI is changing the way people work. Many repetitive, administrative tasks could soon be automated, freeing people to focus on more complex and human work. Mossberger has a hopeful view of the future of work that will be more human, focused on communication, problem-solving and creativity as AI takes over more routine tasks.
“We will have to continually adapt and evolve as humans, but we will not disappear. And there will always be work for us to do if we want to do it,” Mossberger said.
Finding a job is also changing: AI now screens resumes while applicants use AI to compete. Mossberger says standing out has less to do with a resume and more to do with proving what an applicant can do.
“Call people who know you, who understand the value you can bring to the organization, and have conversations. Because scouring your resume on job boards isn’t going to work,” Mossberger said.
The most important skill right now is adaptability. Learning how to use AI, rather than fearing it, can make all the difference in staying competitive.
“You don’t have to be afraid of AI taking your job… You have to fear that another human who is really good at using AI will take your job,” Mossberger said.
While stories like Oracle’s may sound alarming, there is some hope in the long term. Like technological shifts of the past, AI is expected to create more jobs than it destroys, although this may take some time.
“You have to constantly learn and be willing to grow and also be willing to try new things,” Mossberger said.
This story was reported on air by a journalist and was converted to this platform with the help of AI. Our editorial team checks all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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