Happy Friday! We have officially made it to the end of summer 20204. Can you believe it?! While temperatures may be cooling down, tech and workplace changes continue heating up.

So, let's get to it.

Layoff Influencers - I hadn't heard of the term layoff influencer until this past week, and no, it's not people helping influence companies toward layoffs. Read any headlines, and you'll know they don't need help being pushed in that direction. We're talking about the rising trend of people sharing their layoff experience. Is this helpful or harmful? Depends on who you ask.

Private Jet Commute - While there's no shortage of outrage over the new Starbucks CEO and his 1000-mile private jet commute, I can't help but dig beneath the surface concern. Commercial or charter, why are companies still so convinced an executive's physical presence is so necessary? Last I checked, executives don't emit gamma radiation that turns people into superhumans.

Rising AI Concerns - AI is showing up in company annual reports, but not for the right reasons. A recent study showed an almost 500% increase in public mentions by top companies that believe AI is a significant threat. While I'm happy companies are starting to recognize risks, the clear miss is how many still don't understand the benefits. AI isn't the risk; your strategy and execution are!

Procreate Anti-AI - "I {explicative} hate generative AI!!" Those are strong words coming from the CEO of a creative tech company. However, a deeper investigation shows the only generative AI this CEO seems to consistently hate is the kind that does tasks he personally believes people should do. Is this a valid argument against AI or a personal bias gone wild?

Bye, Bye Dev Jobs? - "You've got a max of two years before all your jobs are gone, software developers," according to Amazon CEO. Well, not really. More like, "Developers, your jobs are going to change significantly over the next two years, so you'll need to adapt," according to Head of AWS, a division of Amazon. Funny how headlines tell one story while the details tell another.

Show Notes:

In this Weekly Update, host Christopher Lind provides valuable insights on various topics at the intersection of business, technology, and human experience. He begins by teasing upcoming news for next week's episode. The first segment dives into a Bloomberg article discussing the rise of 'layoff influencers' and the changing culture around job loss. Lind shares his personal experiences and reflections, emphasizing the complexities and biases tied to being open about layoffs. The discussion moves to the controversy surrounding the Starbucks CEO's use of a private jet for commuting and the broader implications for leadership and employee relations. Finally, Lind explores the polarizing views on AI's impact on jobs, citing studies and statements from industry leaders. He cautions against extreme positions and encourages balanced, thoughtful approaches to integrating AI in the workplace.

00:00  - Introduction and Weekly Rundown

01:53  - The Rise of Layoff Influencers

16:17  - The Starbucks CEO Controversy

25:20  - AI: A Growing Threat or Opportunity?

30:49 - Procreate CEO is Anti-AI

38:18  - The Future of Developer Jobs

44:55  - Conclusion: Embracing Change and Staying Ahead

#AI #TechTrends #FutureofWork #Equity #Layoffs