global companies ( )
Tech News: From tech giants to banks, AI is no longer just assisting—it’s leading. Multinational corporations have started using AI platforms to assign tasks, review performance, and even fire employees. The move is being pitched as a step toward “efficiency,” but insiders say it’s about control. Companies like Salesforce and IBM have deployed decision-making bots that manage workflow without human emotion. The traditional manager’s chair is slowly being replaced by machine code.
Reports reveal that over 15,000 employees were laid off in the last six months, with decisions triggered solely by AI systems. HSBC recently confirmed that internal AI tools flagged “non-essential” roles—leading to immediate terminations. Workers didn’t get meetings; they received auto-generated termination emails. The cold efficiency of AI raises ethical alarms, especially when livelihoods are determined by logic trees, not leadership.
One reason companies are switching to AI managers is consistency. Machines don’t call in sick. They don’t strike. And they don’t form unions. Business analysts call it “the dream manager” from a corporate standpoint. But labor unions are deeply concerned. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned that machine-led workplaces could permanently erode worker rights if unchecked.
Traditional mid-level managers, once seen as the bridge between executives and employees, are now seen as “replaceable overhead.” In some companies, AI now oversees hiring, onboarding, task scheduling, and KPI analysis. Human managers say their roles are shrinking to “glorified data watchers.” A former HR executive at an American fintech firm said, “I wasn’t managing anymore—I was just approving AI decisions.”
Not all is smooth in the rise of robot bosses. Tech experts caution that AI systems lack emotional intelligence and can’t interpret context like humans. Errors in AI-led evaluations are often not challenged, leading to unfair outcomes. “Machines can crunch numbers, but they can’t read people,” says Dr. Alisha Ng, an AI ethics researcher at MIT. “This isn’t management—it’s automation disguised as leadership.”
Interestingly, it’s not just big tech. Startups in Silicon Valley, London, and Bangalore are adopting “AI-as-manager” models aggressively. Tools like PeopleGPT, AutoHR, and SmartBoss AI are sold as plug-and-play management systems. They promise increased productivity, reduced HR costs, and zero human bias. But critics say they may also erase empathy, diversity, and workplace balance.
Governments are starting to take notice. The EU is drafting legislation that would limit AI authority in personnel decisions. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened inquiries into automated layoffs. India’s Ministry of Labour is exploring safeguards for AI-supervised workplaces. Experts say this is just the beginning of a global conversation around machine governance in the corporate world.
Copyright © 2025 Top Indian News
