Cisco’s Jeetu Patel Challenges AI Doomsday Predictions for Jobs
The president of Cisco, Jeetu Patel, has publicly rejected the alarming forecasts from some technology leaders that artificial intelligence (AI) will lead to widespread job losses, particularly in entry-level positions. Speaking at the Ai4 conference held in Las Vegas, Patel emphasized his belief that humans will not become obsolete due to AI advancements, calling such ideas “absurd.” This statement comes in response to comments made by Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, who warned that AI could raise unemployment rates to as high as 20% and significantly reduce the availability of white-collar entry-level jobs.
While acknowledging the potential for “growing pains” as AI continues to evolve, Patel highlighted the importance of entry-level positions as a means to inject fresh perspectives into organizations. “If you just say, ‘I’m going to eradicate all entry-level jobs,’ that’s the stupidest thing a company can do in the long term,” he stated. Patel’s remarks resonate amid a broader discussion concerning the future of work and the increasing adoption of AI technologies by major firms.
Concerns Over Job Market Dynamics
Patel’s perspective reflects a growing concern among some industry leaders about the impact of AI on the job market. Despite a generally healthy job market, Oxford Economics reports that the Class of 2025 is facing the worst employment outlook for new graduates in years. For the first time since tracking began in 1980, the unemployment rate for recent graduates aged 22 to 27 is higher than the national average. Over the period from March 2020 to May 2025, entry-level hiring has decreased by 23%, outpacing an overall hiring decline of 18% during the same timeframe, according to data from LinkedIn.
Economists have noted that while various factors contribute to this trend, the role of AI cannot be overlooked. Employment in sectors particularly vulnerable to AI, such as computer science and mathematics, has fallen by 8% since 2022 for recent graduates. In contrast, employment figures for older workers in these fields remain relatively stable. “AI is definitely displacing some of these lower-level jobs,” stated Matthew Martin, senior US economist at Oxford Economics.
AI’s Role in Changing Job Landscapes
The types of jobs most at risk from AI automation involve repetitive tasks, such as data entry. Alan Ranger, vice president of marketing at Cognigy, remarked that jobs characterized as less interesting will gradually be automated. “The less interesting clerical jobs will go away. They will be automated. And if you don’t automate, you’ll go out of business,” he explained. Cognigy’s AI solutions, which support customer service for companies like Lufthansa, exemplify the growing reliance on AI technologies.
While companies may not drastically reduce their customer support workforce immediately, Ranger acknowledged that as employees retire or leave the industry, firms will modify hiring practices. “Account management and sales roles won’t get replaced anytime soon,” he noted. “An AI can’t buy you a steak dinner.”
Addressing concerns about the societal implications of AI, Patel stressed the responsibility of the tech industry to facilitate a smooth transition toward advanced AI systems. He emphasized the need for retraining and reskilling programs in collaboration with governments and educational institutions. “The tech community has to actually take some responsibility for this,” he said. “Because if we don’t, you will create some level of pain in society, and we want to make sure we avoid that.”
As companies increasingly integrate AI into their operations, the discussions surrounding its implications on employment will likely continue to intensify. The future of work remains a pivotal topic, with leaders like Patel advocating for a balanced approach that embraces innovation while safeguarding job opportunities for the workforce.
