Major tech firms make AI skills mandatory, sparking workforce debate
WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES — A growing number of major technology firms are making artificial intelligence (AI) skills a requirement for employees.
Companies such as Duolingo, Meta, Shopify, Box, and Zapier are leading the charge, incorporating AI into their hiring processes, performance reviews, and daily workflows.
Duolingo and Shopify set the tone
In April, Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn informed the company’s 900 employees that AI would become a top priority. Contractors would only be used for tasks AI could not handle, and new hires would need to demonstrate AI proficiency.
“I see it as a tool to accelerate what we do, at the same or better level of quality,” von Ahn wrote in a follow-up statement, aiming to reassure staff after public backlash.
Similarly, Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke informed staff in a widely shared memo, “AI will totally change Shopify, our work, and the rest of our lives. We’re all in on this!”
Now, employers expect employees to integrate AI into their roles and provide justification for AI’s inability to perform a task before considering new hires.
Pushback and concerns from workers
The adoption of AI mandates has sparked unease among employees and industry observers. Critics argue that companies are prioritizing automation over human talent, with some warning of potential declines in product quality and increased risk of errors. “AI first = Employees last,” said Chris Craig, a West Hollywood CEO.
Digital marketing consultant Kristine Schachinger added, “I cannot in good conscience recommend any company that is so recklessly throwing their good humans to the wind while putting all their faith in computer code that does not work a good portion of the time”.
Despite these concerns, company leaders maintain that AI is meant to enhance, not replace, human work. Duolingo’s Chief Engineering Officer Natalie Glance told her team to “spend 10 percent of their time on experimenting and learning more about the AI tools, try using AI for every task first, and share learnings.”
Industry-wide shift and future outlook
Other tech giants, including Meta and Box, are also integrating AI into core business processes. Meta is automating “low-risk decisions” to free up teams for more complex tasks, while Box CEO Aaron Levie stated, “We’re probably in the final generation where you can go into a company with no AI coding expertise.”
Experts predict that AI will soon be seamlessly embedded in workplace tools, making its use unavoidable.
“Most start-ups don’t even need to think about having a policy about [AI] because if they’re not already built from the ground up using AI, they’re missing something,” said Roy Bahat, head of venture capital firm Bloomberg Beta.
As companies race to implement AI-first strategies, the debate over the balance between technology and human input is set to intensify.
