AI productivity gains mainly benefit top-tier groups
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The productivity gains brought by generative AI have not shortened ordinary employees' working hours, but instead raised baseline expectations, with the benefits flowing mainly to the top. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said that due to AI productivity gains, the company reduced its workforce from 9,000 to about 5,000 people, and the company subsequently announced a $20 billion increase in share buybacks. A 2024 Upwork study showed that 77% of employees using AI reported increased workloads, and 21% said they were asked to do more work.
AI overview based on source reports · Updated 7 hr ago
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- Hacker News AIAI Productivity Gains Mainly Benefit People at the Top
The author argues that, as with past productivity-boosting technologies, generative AI is raising baseline work expectations rather than delivering shorter workweeks or more free time, citing Salesforce cutting roles from 9,000 to about 5,000 while announcing a $20 billion share repurchase increase, and an Upwork study in which 77% of employees using AI said it added to their workload. The author, who does technical customer support, says they resolve more tickets with AI but received no time back or extra compensation, and that wages have long lagged productivity gains.
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