#ai

Same playbook happening this coming earnings report. New revitalisation exercises (cost cuttting actually) to reward shareholders, drive innovations (long dead decades ago). 10% cost cutting expected, mainly in the Print space. PC is undergoing massive challenges as well from lack of excitement in the "AI PC" space. Print is embarking into AI Print space as well (actually all BS, trying to stoke and ride the AI wave).

From yesterday’s post ,so that this gets more traction
@OP AI officer
So long as SK remains in charge of Intel AI, and for that matter, so long as he remains in a senior position inside Intel, I don’t think there is any chance. One must question LBT‘s judgment in assigning AI to somebody who has been proven to be a completely inept leader.

Anyone at the town hall? This whole idea of activating AI agents and digital workers, while at the same time saying “w know you guys will be here for fifty years” implying this is the last company we will work for (because it’s great). Man, what an out of touch thing today. On the heels of constant Layoffs, fear is getting replaced by AI and admiring that we can’t afford hiring new people and need to move to digital workers.. what a horrific sight to see

Elon Musk unveils Macrohard AI project that could ‘simulate Microsoft’s entire operations’
https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/elon-musk-unveils-macrohard-ai-company

Microsoft surely faces immense challenges but, seriously, Elon’s “Macrohard” is not one of them.

WF culture summed up by Deep Research analysis of thelayoff.com

Summary

Based on a qualitative analysis of employee discussions on a public forum, the internal health of Wells Fargo appears to be in a state of significant distress. The corporate environment is marked by pervasive anxiety, a deep erosion of psychological safety, and a cultural disconnect. The key drivers of this sentiment are recurrent and often uncommunicated layoffs, a return-to-office (RTO) mandate, and a perceived culture that prioritizes corporate allegiance over individual performance. For a prospective employee, the landscape is one of extreme caution, where job insecurity and arbitrary change are constant threats.

Section 1: The Context of Corporate Transition

Employee discussions reveal that corporate directives, such as layoffs and RTO policies, are major sources of discontent and uncertainty.

1.1 The Layoff as a Continuous Process

Layoffs at Wells Fargo are not viewed as isolated events but as a recurring, systemic process. The forum frequently references "Termination Tuesday" , a term that has become part of the professional lexicon for some employees. This suggests a predictable schedule for job cuts, creating a state of perpetual anxiety and anticipation. The discussions also mention rumors of "another large round of layoffs in mid-September, especially in Tech". The routinization of layoffs signals that job security is not part of the social contract, creating a "waiting for the other shoe to drop" mentality that hinders productivity and innovation.

1.2 The Return-to-Office Mandate

The Return-to-Office (RTO) mandate, which requires employees to come in "3 days per week" , is a frequent and contentious topic. It is widely perceived as an arbitrary policy and a symbol of management's distrust. The passive resistance, such as questioning whether it is acceptable to "work only four hours in the office" , indicates that employees feel they are complying with the letter of the law but not the spirit. This dynamic erodes the trust between management and the workforce, shifting the relationship from a partnership to a command-and-control dynamic.

Section 2: The State of Employee Morale

The emotional landscape of the Wells Fargo workforce is one of stress, burnout, and profound disillusionment.

2.1 Disillusionment and the Sense of Liberation

The most powerful indicator of low morale is the surprising sense of liberation expressed by employees who have been laid off. Comments that being laid off was the "best week in the last decade" and the expression of being "free" are a profound indictment of the company's work culture. This suggests that the work environment has become a source of immense psychological burden and professional suffering, where job loss is seen as a release from stress and a form of mental and emotional imprisonment.

2.2 Burnout and Compensation Resentment

Discussions on the "infinite workday" and widespread burnout point to a culture of overwork where employees feel compelled to be constantly available to prove their value in a climate of job insecurity. At the same time, discussions about "salary compression" where "lower roles are reclassified to higher roles without a pay increase" are a source of significant resentment. Employees see this as a sign of disrespect, a clear message that the company is willing to extract more value without offering a commensurate reward.

Section 3: The Erosion of Psychological Safety

Psychological safety, the belief that one will not be punished for speaking up, has been critically compromised.

The constant discussion of layoffs and the ominous presence of "Termination Tuesday" create a climate where employees cannot feel secure. The anecdote of an individual being "laid off after 14 years" shows that even long-term loyalty offers no protection. This lack of security forces employees into a defensive, self-protective posture that hinders collaboration and productive risk-taking.

A particularly damning piece of evidence is the anecdote that a laid-off employee's "exact job was being offered to temps at a lower wage". This demonstrates that the company views its human capital as a fungible commodity. The cynical rejection of corporate justifications, such as the belief that "AI is (still) mostly a scapegoat" for layoffs , further reveals a deep distrust of management's motives.

Section 4: The Cultural Disconnect

The discussions reveal a profound cultural critique of the organization. The description of Wells Fargo as a "cult" where "performance is less valued than being a 'True Believer'" is a critical insight. This suggests a culture where success is based on ideological loyalty and conformity rather than objective performance or competence. This system stifles critical thinking and innovation, as political savvy is rewarded over genuine results.

The use of "buzzwords" and the perception of managers "doing NOTHING" indicate a lack of authentic leadership and a significant disconnect between corporate communication and the reality of day-to-day work.

Section 5: Insights for a New Employee

For a prospective employee, the report provides a candid assessment. The official corporate narrative is likely at odds with the lived reality of the workforce. A new employee will be entering a culture defined by anxiety and mistrust, where job insecurity is a constant threat and loyalty is not rewarded.

The advice is to be pragmatic and self-reliant. A new employee should not rely on the company for job security or psychological safety. The evidence suggests that job tenure offers no protection and that management is viewed as indifferent to the personal toll of its policies. It is recommended that a new employee approach the role with the understanding that the company's primary focus is on cost-cutting and control, and that their well-being is a secondary concern.

So long as SK remains in charge of Intel AI, and for that matter, so long as he remains in a senior position inside Intel, I don’t think there is any chance. One must question LBT‘s judgment in assigning AI to somebody who has been proven to be a completely inept leader.

Does leadership have an AI backup plan? So many companies are realizing AI isn’t going to save them any money. It’s producing too low quality of code and is costing too much in compute. The biggest misconception for people is that AI is already an AGI. These models are LLMs and only know what patterns they’re trained to understand. They just don’t get a deep understanding of enterprise code.

AI is still awesome to have in the workplace. Its understanding of documents and Eliza features like proof of concept apps are cool. But let’s be realistic, it’s not replacing anyone. If it has, BNY might regret it later.

Does leadership see this at all? Or will they die on the AI hill since our senior leadership team and CEO talk about AI so publicly? I think they need to loosen their expectations.

New top heavy Martian C-suite means they’ll have to clear out mid-level Directors with long complicated titles to justify new inflated salaries. WTW typically lays folks off before the third quarter or right before the holidays. AI, innovation and offshoring are increasingly popular and very un-American. They have started for 2025.

There is zero doubt. Not only did I already know this and have had discrete discussions with management, but I had the shocking experience experience of overhearing a very high higher-up talking about this situation to who I assume was a colleague in the lobby of another business! The goal is to send everything to Pune and ultimately have AI take over all they can. If processes fail, they fail; so be it.

Imagine taking a world class team and then hiring two buffoons from the market. These id--ts have completely trashed what used to be a great place to work at. This is not a race related comment. Prashant and Amborish are the worst possible hires we could have made. Arrogant? Check. Incapable? Check. Laying off good people who actually know the work? Check

Wake up Gunjan. These boys are peeing in your lunch bowl.

Flashback... apologies if you already saw it and for posting something a bit old(ish), but I just remembered this one...

(FORTUNE MAGAZINE)

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CyEBnomL1RP/

IBM’s CEO thinks AI can do his job. Well, some of it.

“There are elements of repetitive, white-collar work in my job that AI could do,” Arvind Krishna told Fortune at the #CEOinitiative conference this week.

“But decision-making, creativity, collaboration with people, empathy—those are not things AI can do,” he said.

Krishna maintained that AI will create far more jobs that it will eliminate. “10-20% of job displacement may occur, but probably 30% new jobs will be created,” he said. AI is a “wonderful technology,” Krishna concludes.

Cisco announces layoffs days after CEO said it won’t cut jobs in favor of AI

Law firm ‘investigating’ layoffs over alleged notice discrepancy, while Cisco brings in a new channel partner chief

Cisco plans to cut more than 150 employees as part of a new round of layoffs, with the cuts coming days after CEO Chuck Robbins said the company would not be slicing jobs in favor of AI.

The latest cuts include 157 employees at various locations in California. The majority of the cuts are are targeted at Cisco's Milpitas campus, with 64 roles being cut at its site in San Francisco. Staff at its former Redwood City headquarters and some roles at its site in Pleasanton are also set for elimination.

A plethora of roles are set to be axed, including juniors as well as executives with VP titles, among those facing layoffs, according to reports.

News of the layoffs comes after Robbins said he didn’t see the networking giant using AI as an excuse to reduce headcount.

"I don't want to get rid of a bunch of people right now," the CEO told CNBC, instead suggesting he wants the company’s engineers to “innovate faster and be more productive.”

AI was among the reasons Cisco cited for cutting 7% of its workforce last August, a decision CFO Scott Herren suggested at the time was more akin to “a reallocation versus a headcount savings.”

Those cuts followed a 5% reduction of Cisco’s global workforce in February 2024, a restructuring move the vendor suggested at the time would maximize shareholder returns.

Did Cisco break the law?
Its latest round of layoffs is, however, being probed by a law firm over claims the company could have violated U.S. labor laws.

Chicago-based law firm Strauss Borrelli said it was looking into layoffs at the networking giant, suggesting Cisco employees facing layoffs may be owed 60 days of severance pay and benefits.

Under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, U.S. employers are required to provide 60 days' notice before mass layoffs. The law firm is investigating whether a WARN Notice was filed with the state of California at least 60 days before the mid-October job eliminations, as affected staff were reportedly only notified on August 13 – despite the dates appearing to line up.

“We are investigating whether Cisco failed to provide at least 60 days’ notice before laying off 157 employees and, therefore, violated the WARN Act,” the law firm said in a statement.

Cisco last week reported earnings that saw it bring in $800 million in AI-related revenues for the fourth quarter of its fiscal 2025, which pushed its full fiscal-year AI-related haul to $2.1 billion.

Robbins told investors that largely all of its AI growth was coming from hyperscaler customers, with two-thirds of AI-related orders tied to Cisco systems, with the remaining one-third tied to its optics portfolio.

The benefits of AI in ranking employee performance include:

(1) Objectivity: AI analyzes performance data based on impartial metrics, minimizing bias and ensuring fairness in evaluations.

(2) Enhanced Feedback: AI provides continuous real-time feedback, helping employees improve while they work.

(3) Efficiency: AI automates administrative tasks, saving managers time and allowing them to focus on strategic tasks.

(4) Predictive Analytics: AI can analyze historical data to predict performance trends, aiding in talent acquisition and management.

(5) Personalized Insights: AI tools can offer tailored feedback and development paths based on individual performance data, fostering a more personalized experience for employees.

FIS Acquires Amount - Thoughts?

They are so pathetic where they refuse to build internal initiatives toward Cloud and AI, they acquire yet another company just to pull them down and leave them in limbo just like they are doing to Dragonfly right now. This company doesn't know how to do acquisitions let alone proper assimilation into something that's actually meaningful. This leadership team is one of the worst I've ever seen in any organization. Entirely clueless.

In a Thursday interview with CNBC on the same day of the report, CEO Chuck Robbins addressed AI technology in the company’s workforce.

“I don’t want to get rid of a bunch of people right now. I don’t want to get rid of engineers,” Robbins said. “I just want our engineers we have today to innovate faster and be more productive and that gives us a competitive advantage.”

Robbins said if AI keeps advancing at Cisco, the company could possibly hire fewer employees. Cisco did not respond to SFGATE’s request for comment on the latest round of layoffs.

https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/bay-area-tech-titan-announces-layoffs-strong-20826542.php

In my professional opinion, AI is the best cust. Svc tool since sliced bread. The point of access to it wasn't well thought out. It's on a tool that can bring a rep a zero call for touching it during a call when it's needed. Maybe that's the intention to bait good workers into a zero call. Then QA can tag it as Egregious and that good worker gets written up by HR. There's even a man that took the attrition highway and quit due to getting an Egregious score for looking at their timesheet waiting for customer information to load. They quit because they thought the alternative of being written up by HR for looking at a work document while waiting for a slow loading system is totally absurd. Seems like the company wants attrition, and wants people to be fired when written up by HR. That saves the company from having to pay severance. As the man said who quit, the writing is on the wall. Keep your pizza and just treat people right until you displace them. There's your employee survey. Anonymous.

Anyone else privy to the new policy that roles can’t be backfilled or hired until you prove why AI can’t do the role? And then you have to go and justify your position to MAV and ME, for them to approve.

With skeleton crews barely surviving, do they actually believe AI will pickup the work?

Obviously they’re using their ridiculous corporate buzzwords to soften the blow. The way they’ve said everything made it seem like this is going to be the last round of layoffs by saying there is no Cascade 3.

But… it says “There is no Cascade 3 as part of Capacity Realignment.”

Those sneaky ba----ds. Capacity Realignment is just phase one. “Cascade 2 will conclude Capacity Realignment.” There’s still Sourcing & Shoring and AI & Automation phases to come.

Maybe this was obvious to a lot of people, but I definitely had a false sense of security thinking this would potentially be it. I knew there would always be the POTENTIAL for additional layoffs down the road, but this sneaky bullsh-t just really jumped out at me today.

I wish they’d stop the bullsh-t buzzwords, grow up, and just say things as they are. Instead, they’re being a bunch of cowards hiding behind pretty words.

“I don’t want to get rid of a bunch of people right now,” Robbins told CNBC last week, stressing that AI was meant to boost productivity, not reduce headcount. “I just want our engineers that we have today to innovate faster and be more productive. That gives us a competitive advantage.”

TECH
Silicon Valley tech giants to cut hundreds of Bay Area jobs AGAIN!!!

Schwawesome Leaders, Where is the efficiency gained by AI? Whose head should roll?

Both will cut costs. And AI will work around the clock with no complaints or recurring expenses. Loki knows the score.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/14/cisco-ceo-says-he-wants-to-use-ai-to-boost-efficiency-not-reduce-headcount.html

Laid off after 22 years, and I can’t sleep. I worry about the immediate future and my job prospects as all the companies that would hire me are going into lean mode. I’m also suffering existentially, thinking about AI and what the job market looks like for anyone a decade from now. What’s everyone else doing to prepare? It feels like savings and emergency funds won’t be enough at some point. For the first time in my life my future is foggy along with everyone else’s. I’m having trouble coping and I keep doomscrolling this forum, and I know it’s not healthy, but I don’t know what else to look at for comfort.

I keep reading about KPIs. Who exactly has been told by their manager?

We've been told to use the AI chat and it's being monitored, but no target.

No one I know has been given a KPI or weekly target.

How do we know it's 25 per week?

I've only read it this forum, is it fake news?

people dont like using the sales chat cuz its slow, wrong half the time, and just makes more work instead of less... the data in it is kinda trash so the answers come out trash too... bosses keep pushing us to hit some random kpi even when we dont even need it that week... feels like were just trainning the thing to take our jobs one day and thats not cool...

New outside C level who seems sharp, a new AI strategy that finally makes sense, new initiatives to actually standardize how opportunities work and take a logical approach to account mapping and strategy. Good vibe from leadership. All good progress.

F5 Networks, a multicloud application services and security company, has conducted layoffs in the past, including a significant round in early 2023 that impacted 620 employees (9% of their workforce). While there's no indication of current layoffs on August 12, 2025, F5 has a history of workforce reductions, including some related to marketing and content production. The company has also stated it doesn't anticipate layoffs in its current fiscal year ending in September.

Did anyone else feel let down by the office strategy announcement at the town hall? Aside from the Foster City remodel, there was no mention of other locations and no clarity on how teams will be impacted. They skipped over all the submitted questions. With this and the AI hype, all signs point to more people losing jobs.

Apart from reading off her AI generated slide shows with cartoon characters?

Everyone else has informative slides and are not reading off their slides, they're providing more depth to the information provided and showcasing how they're leading (or attempting to do literally anything). And then we have Sandy reading off her badly formatted slideshow that she pretends took a week to make when in reality it took ChatGPT all of 10 seconds to make.

Is she like an executive cheerleader? Like honestly.

Now that Mark got kicked out the door there's nobody to protect her role, she's probably in line to get fired and replaced with a person who actually does something.

Alright then, we are now going to get marketing advice from IBM... because marketing fails because of "fragmented operations" now... (some study they did says)

IBM Says that CMOs Must Fix What’s Beneath the Surface to Fully Unlock AI

(...) "study of 1,800 marketing and sales executives found that 81% of CMOs see AI as a game-changer, yet 84% say rigid, fragmented operations stop them from using it to its full potential."

(...) Jonathan Adashek, tech giant IBM’s Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, explained that many companies don’t have the structure needed to make AI truly transformative. On top of that, only 21% of CMOs believe they have the right talent to meet their goals over the next few years.

As a result, IBM has been addressing these challenges through its “client zero” approach, which means testing AI tools on its own operations before offering them to clients. In human resources, this approach has automated one million tasks and resolved 95% of employee requests without escalation. This allows HR staff to focus on more complex work like coaching, workforce planning, and talent development. In marketing, AI has reduced the amount of time employees spend on repetitive tasks, thereby giving them more freedom to try new ideas and original projects.

However, Adashek believes that the key to unlocking AI’s full potential is to first get a company’s data in order. Indeed, strong, integrated, and flexible data systems, along with privacy protections, make it possible to detect patterns and make better strategic decisions. Interestingly, Adashek compares AI to an iceberg: the 20% above the water is the flashy, visible technology, while the 80% below represents the deeper systems, processes, and data that truly drive transformation. Focusing on that hidden 80% can boost productivity and help businesses scale better than chasing the latest shiny tool.

https://www.tipranks.com/news/ibm-says-that-cmos-must-fix-whats-beneath-the-surface-to-fully-unlock-ai#google_vignette

It is part Austin Martin logo, part pyramid logo. Cannot decide if I like it or not.

Did we hire someone to create this logo or was it free AI generated image?

I feel bad for the people who were laid off in March and April. It didn’t have to happen that way—they should have decided to replace the CEO earlier instead of cutting employees who rely on their paychecks. Was the CEO fired because of AI?

Amdocs announced the launch of a new GenAI & Data division aimed at integrating artificial intelligence into all aspects of its products, services, and operations, consolidating product, engineering, strategy, and go-to-market teams under one unit led by Senior Vice President Ilan Sade. While the company positions this move as a strategic step to strengthen its leadership in the global IT and telecom market, it is also preparing for another wave of layoffs expected to impact hundreds of employees in Israel and worldwide. This follows recent workforce reductions, including 2,700 layoffs in 2023 and 1,500 in 2024, as Amdocs adapts its organizational structure to align with business opportunities and efficiency goals.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bl7qwfsuw

AI is being deployed. It will help management in so many ways that you aren't thinking about yet. It's scanning your IMs and emails right now looking to see how well you are performing and... to see if you are using it for non-work purposes. Gossiping? Romancing? Sending memes? Things are going to get real for you!

AI is already being integrated with conventional and humanoid robots. In some companies (like BMW), humanoid robots are already performing "tasks only a human can do." Right now, AI can design 3D parts, write computer programs and apps, perform complex accounting and financial tasks on the enterprise level, write patent applications, create marketing plans, perform business analysts of the competitive environment and also match VOC data with real world solutions/opportunities.

You are going to complain your way into living in your car.
Just so you know, many of us who hear the hand-wringing at work (or read it online at Reddit) can see this very clearly. You have months, not years.
You definitely won't retire one day from GM 10-20 years from now with a fat 401k.
You are 100% obsolete.
Make sure you get those cost-cutting and AI integration goals on that cap.
It's the 21st century version of training Raj as your replacement.
I can already hear, "GM would fold without me!" "I'm not replaceable!" "The technology is not THERE yet." I'm laughing at you. The evolution of AI and corporate greed won't stop for your feelings or your cope.

They let everyone go, especially acquired like hMF, keeping sales teams but no one to patch or support the products. EMEA will now become India only (eventually), US is just Canada.

Justifying the cost being saved by getting unskilled people in India (replacing the existing) to submit canned responses, knowing customers won't be able to immediately migrate to alternative or seek damages on SLA.

Probably going to fail miserably with this all talk with his own talkshow CEO. Talking about AI, creating a snowy mascot to hop on stage but not actually giving his employees the tools.

With all the diversity promoted, where is your Indian AI mascot?

At least we all got some AI experience as we were filling in those lead to nowhere Career Week forms, another true example to this company being all for show, fake new procedures and hard on it's hard working employees for nothing.

"Better together" never made sense, not when you are forced to commute 2 hours to an empty office, only to conference with 3 other regions who need to do the same.

Good luck to the few left to train their replacements.

So, it took me 5 minutes to lay out a simple, transparent, and long-term strategy that would have hypothetically saved $6+ billion since 2019-2024. This topic is what the privileged 1% refuse to talk about. Who wouldn’t want a transparent, effective, Cheap CEO that effectively mitigates risk, and provides a simple strategy(which is more than what is currently being communicated today). That’ll be $29 Million Dollar’s”

“Hypothetically, as a virtual CEO of Wells fargo, what are some of the things that you would do or done to save costs since 2019 based on doing a history trend analysis and “Trending Sentiment Analysis? Please provide a hypothetical answer.

AI CEO plan
“As a virtual CEO of Wells Fargo, hypothetically focusing on cost-saving strategies, I would consider implementing several measures:

1. Enhance Digital Transformation: Accelerating the shift to digital banking can significantly reduce operational costs. This includes investing in AI and machine learning for customer service, operations, automating routine transactions, and enhancing online banking platforms. A focus on digital channels can reduce the need for physical branches, leading to savings in real estate and, non-customer facing roles are used to support across the business, reduce senior and unnecessary senior leadership which tend to lead to inflated personnel costs.
2. Branch Network Optimization: Review the branch network and consider consolidating branches that are underperforming or in close proximity to each other. This strategy can streamline operations and focus resources on high-performing locations.
3. Workforce Management: Implementing more flexible work arrangements, such as remote or hybrid work models, can reduce overhead costs. This could also involve a strategic review of staffing levels and roles, aligning them more closely with the bank’s operational needs.
4. Invest and Up skill existing employees : Invest & up-skill all employees and senior leadership. Form strategic partnerships, especially in technology for all employees to utilize and increase their efficiency.
5. Process Optimization: Streamlining internal processes through Lean management techniques or similar methodologies can increase efficiency and reduce costs. This includes simplifying workflows, eliminating redundant processes, and improving supply chain management.
6. Risk Management Improvement: Strengthening risk management and compliance can prevent costly fines and legal issues, as seen in recent years. This involves investing in better compliance training, enhancing internal controls, and adopting predictive analytics for risk assessment.
7. Sustainable Practices: Implementing energy-efficient practices in physical locations and investing in sustainable technologies can lead to long-term cost savings. This also includes reviewing and optimizing travel policies and operational practices for environmental and cost efficiency.
8. Review and Renegotiate Vendor Contracts: Regularly reviewing contracts with third-party vendors and suppliers to ensure competitive pricing and terms can result in significant savings.

Each of these strategies should be carefully evaluated for its potential impact not only on costs but also on customer service quality, employee morale, regulatory compliance, and the bank’s long-term strategic goals.

Based on historical trend analysis with a focus on the past “Five Years” varies. Hypothetically, it would translate to over $126.7 million dollars in savings should the current CEO be replaced by an AI Virtual CEO being utilized for the company CEO role in 2019 beginning in 2019

Hypothetically, The most probable total net cost savings average $5.7 Billion dollars from 2019 through YTD. This analysis includes meeting and completing all existing regulatory orders by due dates and the roll-out of the “AI Virtual CEO. One of the most overlooked aspects of a AI Virtual CEO is the AI CEO becomes more knowledgeable and is proactive all the time. (last refresh on 01/18/2024).“

Time for the off-shorer to become the offshoree muahaha

#WFC
#WellsFargo
#AI
#WellsFargoAI
#Fargo
#CEO
#Inequality
#AutomateTheC-Suite
#WellsFargoBank
#TheTruthHurts