‘Totally taking over’: As AI rolls into workplaces, many middle managers fear getting replaced

Middle managers have been the backbone of corporate America for years, but emerging technology might make them extinct.

Many corporations are shedding this tier of work thanks to artificial intelligence, or AI.

AI is already changing the world of work, but it’s just getting started.

One worker in Westwood told Boston 25 News, “I think people are learning about how AI can supplement different tasks, and I think it will replace some jobs.”

A young woman said, “I’m a recent college grad, so I definitely think it affects the workforce. It’s kind of scary. I think it’s totally taking over.”

Just a few years ago, we were getting accustomed to automation in warehouses as robots trolled the aisles, filling orders.

AI is much more powerful as it gets applied to work areas.

“I see in just the last two years a tremendous speed of development of what AI can do,” explained Peter Cohan, a professor of business practice at Babson College and author of Brain Rush: How to compete and invest in the world of generative AI.”

To get a concise definition or explanation, we decided to ask AI directly what it is.

Google’s Gemini quickly gave us this answer: “It’s like this. Imagine a really, really smart computer that can learn and solve problems almost like a human. That’s essentially artificial intelligence.”

With those capabilities, AI can do more sophisticated work, the kinds of things associated with middle managers.

“The job of middle managers is to sort of translate the grand strategic visions of the executives into specific tasks that people in the organization will actually execute,” explained Cohan.

He said high-tech layoffs have been getting a lot of attention. Companies like Microsoft and Amazon, for example, are laying off tens of thousands of workers, many of them middle managers.

Cohan believes one of the main reasons for these actions is that companies are spending so much to invest in AI.

Losing middle managers is now being called “The Great Flattening” as layers between line workers and executives disappear.

“That takes away a big coordination function that middle managers usually perform,” Cohan said. “It’s affecting people at all levels of the organization because AI basically can do a lot of work more quickly.”

An analysis by www.gusto.com shows existing middle managers are seeing a spike in the number of workers who report to them, going from three to six in recent years.

That trend can make rank-and-file workers feel more disconnected and create a negative impact on overall morale.

Greg Stoller, a master lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, said, “One thing that AI cannot replace is person-to-person communication. I get the fact that companies want to be more efficient... but I think it’s important to remember that you can’t have AI do a performance review. And I am not just talking about exceeded expectations and met expectations. How do you improve?”

He says workers need to be proactive if they want to keep their jobs in the coming days.

“I think the first thing you should do to AI-proof your job is talk to your supervisor and ask them how I am doing? Can I improve?”

Next, he says to try and learn new skills.

“The third thing I tell people, is don’t be afraid to raise your hand. . . if everybody’s only doing what they’ve been told to do, and it comes layoff time, you’re not necessarily going to be making yourself have a better competitive advantage than the person sitting to your left or to your right.”

One thing is for sure: change is coming.

The worker in Westwood added, “I think it’s inevitable, and I think we’re going to have to roll with it. I think there is going to be good and bad, but at the end of the day, it’ll be positive for society overall.”

Another woman in Westwood said, “I think it’s a double-edged sword. I can see how it’s going to take jobs away, just from humans doing their everyday jobs.”

Another group feeling the impact of AI is new college graduates.

Cohan said their unemployment rate has doubled in recent years, and much of that can be attributed to AI doing the tasks traditionally assigned to these workers.

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