AI Radar: Between Layoffs and Opportunities – The IBM Paradox and Professional Reinvention in the Last 24 Hours

The world of Artificial Intelligence continues its transformative march at a fast pace, with news that seems contradictory at first glance, but that reveals important patterns for understanding the future of work and technology. In the last 24 hours, the AI scenario in Brazil and around the world has presented an emblematic case at IBM, advances in international cooperation for security, creative applications in Brazilian music and crucial reflections on professional adaptation.

The most intriguing case comes from IBM, which, after laying off 8,000 employees due to automation, ended up having to hire more people. Could this be a pattern we’ll see repeated at other companies? What lessons can we learn from this apparent paradox?

IBM and the Automation Paradox: 8,000 Layoffs That Resulted in… Hiring

In January 2023, IBM launched one of the most high-profile layoffs in the technology sector, announcing that it would cut 7,800 jobs and indicating that up to 301,000 of its workforce could be automated. The news caused apprehension in the market and seemed to confirm fears of a massive replacement of workers by AI systems.

However, something unexpected happened: Even after this wave of layoffs, the company's total number of employees increasedHow can we explain this apparent contradiction?

What we are observing is a phenomenon that I have been studying for years in my career following technological transformations: automation eliminates certain types of functions, but creates demand for new skills and roles. In the case of IBM, the company automated repetitive Human Resources tasks through the AskHR system, achieving significant productivity gains that allowed it to reallocate investments to strategic areas.

This case perfectly illustrates what I call the “accordion effect” of automation: compression in some areas, expansion in others. The final result depends on the company’s ability to reinvest productivity gains in new areas that require other human skills.

Global AI Safety: The “Singapore Consensus” and the Race for Regulation

As companies navigate the challenges of implementing AI, the international community is seeking to establish guidelines to ensure that these technologies do not pose future threats. A report released after a global conference in Singapore in April offered important suggestions for making artificial intelligence safer.

The “International Scientific Exchange on AI Safety” event brought together representatives from leading companies such as OpenAI, Meta, Google DeepMind and Anthropic, as well as leaders from 11 countries, including the US, China and the European Union. The results were published in the paper “Singapore Consensus on Global Research Priorities in AI Safety”.

What draws my attention to this initiative are the three priority areas identified:

• Risk assessment: Creating metrics to determine when intervention is needed and ensuring rigorous testing methods
• Imposing limits between acceptable and unacceptable behaviors: Ensuring systems are trained with true data
• Human control: Implementation of human-centered monitoring, kill switches and oversight structures

This consensus comes at a critical time, following the Paris AI Action Summit (February 2025), which ended with a clear division among participants – the US and UK refused to sign a joint declaration, highlighting the geopolitical tensions that permeate technological development.

In my consulting work with Brazilian companies, I have noticed that this lack of global standards creates uncertainty in the development of products and services. After all, how can we invest in AI-based solutions without clarity about which practices will be allowed or prohibited in the future?

The voice that AI gave back: when technology redefines artistic trajectories

One of the most moving cases of the last 24 hours comes from the Brazilian cultural universe. The guitarist and composer Cleber Augusto, former member of the group Fundo de Quintal, who has not spoken since 2003 due to cancer of the vocal cords, released an album singing thanks to artificial intelligence.

The album “Minhas andanças” was released at the end of April and is a tribute to the musician’s compositions, featuring guest appearances by artists such as Seu Jorge, Ferrugem, Mumuzinho and Diogo Nogueira. To create Cleber’s artificial voice, the British company MyVox processed data from interviews and solo shows, circumventing restrictions related to the copyright of previous albums.

What makes this project pioneering is that the artist is still alive and actively participated in the process of recreating his voice, using an electronic larynx to communicate during the recordings. The album includes songs that the artist has never recorded with his own voice and an unreleased track called “Ímã”, made in collaboration with Péricles.

This case transcends the technical debate about AI and confronts us with deeply human questions: how technology can restore possibilities that seemed lost and create new paths for artistic expression?

“The person who will steal your job is someone who uses AI better than you”

One of the most impactful quotes in recent news came from Michelle Schneider, author of the book “The Professional of the Future”, who stated: “It’s not Artificial Intelligence that’s going to steal your job. It’s someone who knows how to use it better than you.”

This accurate observation, which coincides with what I have been arguing for years in my lectures and consultancies, puts into perspective the real challenge of the AI era. We are not simply facing a technological replacement, but a transformation in the skills needed to thrive in the job market.

According to a study by the World Economic Forum cited by Schneider, 85 million jobs could be replaced by technology, while 97 million new roles are expected to emerge. This massive transformation will require professionals to develop new skills.

The expert proposes four essential skills to prepare yourself:

• Innovative mind
• Technological literacy
• Emotional intelligence
• Take care of your mental health

This list complements what I have been calling in my CACACA workshops – the six fundamental skills for the future of work: Creativity and Autonomy; Collaboration and Adaptability; Connection and Affection.

Schneider also observes that we are experiencing a “collective hypnosis” in the face of the technological revolution, where many deny the reality of the changes, a phenomenon that I have identified as one of the main obstacles to effective digital transformation in Brazilian organizations.

The positive impact of AI on small businesses

A news story that we were unable to access in full, but whose title indicates a revealing fact: “AI in business: 741% of SMEs see positive impact, says Microsoft”. This significant percentage suggests that, despite widely publicized fears, the majority of small and medium-sized business owners who have already implemented AI solutions are reaping favorable results.

This positive outlook contrasts with the prevailing discourse on the risks of technology and reinforces what I have observed in my work with startups and companies in the digitalization phase: When well implemented and aligned with the business’s strategic objectives, AI works as an amplifier of capabilities, not as a substitute.

What can we learn from the news of the last 24 hours?

Analyzing the set of information, some important patterns emerge:

1. Automation is a process of transformation, not just replacement – As we saw in the case of IBM, layoffs in areas that can be automated can be offset by hiring in new areas.
2. AI regulation is a geopolitically contested field – Technical consensus does not always translate into political agreements, and this directly affects the companies that develop and implement these technologies
3. Creative applications of AI expand human possibilities – The case of musician Cleber Augusto shows how technology can create new forms of expression and connection
4. The real threat is not technology, but the lack of adaptation to it – The ability to effectively utilize AI tools will be a key competitive differentiator
5. SMEs are discovering the value of AI – The positive perception of 74% by small and medium-sized businesses indicates that the technology is becoming accessible and useful beyond large corporations

The future that is emerging is one of increasingly intense coexistence with intelligent systems, where the human difference will not be in direct competition with the machine, but in the ability to direct it, complement it and use it in creative and meaningful ways.

How to prepare for this future?

In my mentoring work with professionals, startups and companies undergoing transformation, I have recommended three fundamental approaches:

1. Constant experimentation: Take the time to learn about and test the new AI tools available. You don’t need to master them all, but you need to understand their possibilities and limitations.
2. Development of complementary skills: Invest in the skills that machines can’t easily replicate – creativity, critical thinking, emotional intelligence and collaboration skills
3. Continuous learning mindset: Tools and possibilities are evolving rapidly, which makes continuous learning not only desirable, but essential.

In my mentoring work, I have helped professionals and organizations navigate this transition, identifying opportunities specific to each profile and context. The journey may seem challenging, but it is also full of possibilities for those willing to face the transformation with curiosity and openness.

The AI revolution is not something that will happen in the future – it is already underway, rewriting the rules of the market and redefining what it means to be a successful professional. The key question is not whether we will be affected by this change, but how we choose to participate in it.