According to CNN
Experts and industry leaders gathered in Las Vegas to discuss the future of work in the era of artificial intelligence. Cisco’s chief AI expert and Anthropic investor Jitu Patel spoke out against pessimistic forecasts of the disappearance of entry-level jobs due to AI and urged avoiding extremes in risk assessment.
Patel, who is responsible for product directions at Cisco, acknowledged that the shift to AI may create “growing pains” for individual workers, but stressed that technology mainly changes skill requirements, not destroys jobs. He rebutted the notions of mass unemployment and the elimination of entry-level positions that were voiced in Anthropic’s statements.
“People should adapt along with technology and grow into new roles,” Patel said during Ai4, an artificial intelligence conference in Las Vegas. He stressed that AI can open up new opportunities if companies do not resort to inflexible HR policies.
Prospects and risks of transitioning to AI
“I simply refuse to believe that people will become obsolete. It seems like an absurd notion.”
Some economists have already noted the early signs of reduced hiring at entry-level positions. Over the period 2020–2025, there was roughly a 23% drop in entry-level hiring, while across the market the decline stood at about 18%; graduates often face pressure in the labor market after earning a degree.
“If you just say, ‘I will wipe out all entry-level jobs,’ that is the dumbest thing a company can do in the long run, because you are effectively depriving it of an injection of fresh perspectives.”
The expert emphasized that widespread AI adoption requires close coordination among industry, governments, and educational institutions to ensure a smooth transition and minimize the social pain from labor market restructuring.
