Box CEO Aaron Levie has a message to AI skeptics. Automation does not mean exchange.
One of the misconceptions people make about AI is that it takes over their work, Levy told Business Insider.
If AI is a productivity driver, “many companies in the economy need to grow faster and hire people to support those companies growing,” Levy said.
Rather than swapping the entire employment category, Levy said the likelihood outcome is that the head count across the company increases as the output increases. Increased efficiency could lead to companies hiring employment in specific roles, but the CEO said there are “very few examples” of jobs and the sector as a result of automation.
Levy said he believes that industries such as sales, law and healthcare are becoming increasingly demanded as a result of AI.
“When a task is automated within a job, the output of that job can rise significantly, which has a different range of effects depending on the segment the company is in or the role of the person,” Levy said.
Software engineering is at the heart of job exchange discussions as AI coding tools automate many aspects of the work and many recent alumni struggle to find work. While companies like Box continue to hire engineers, technology leaders are focusing on slowing employment amid uncertainty about the impact of AI on entry-level workers.
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Levy said the idea that software engineering is gone as a result of AI is “completely misplaced.” With AI, he said, software engineers can ship two, three or potentially five times more code. His comments reflect the comments of Okta CEO Todd McKinnon, who previously told Business Insider that engineers will see demand rise in the age of AI, as companies can create more products.
“Skillsets aren't that important,” Levy said. “In fact, it's probably more valuable based on where the future is headed.”
AI will have similar results for other occupations, Levy said. The CEO said paralegals will also be five times more productive and have the ability to confirm more contracts. Marketing brand designers will be able to create campaigns for more initiatives, and product managers will be able to cover more surface area, he said.
“All of these things were what AI agents let you go, but none of these categories left jobs out,” Levy said. “That's what the output of that job can now be achieved and could increase by 20% or 50% or even 200% depending on where you are in that workflow.”
Levy remains optimistic about the future of AI, but he said there is a change in the workforce and that it is important to recognize how roles will evolve.
“What do you want to do and what will your job look like in the future? Because there will be changes,” Levy said.
