So, for some context, I work at an accounting company that provides tech services to banks. Really tiring shit but it was the only thing where they didn’t ask you for 100 years of previous experience to enter an entry-level position.
A couple of days ago the CEO came for an annual visit and gave a conference, which was 2 hours of generic corporate crap in the world’s most uncomfortable chairs (the only one that probably benefited from that meeting was the local chiropractor). I’m pretty sure the word “growth” was said at least 20 times, and I’m starting to genuinely hate that word.
The interesting bit is that, at the end, the guy answered some questions that were send beforehand by the employees’ and other bosses. One of them was if he saw the benefits of using AI.
He fucking admitted he did not see those benefits, but then said immediately afterwards that the company had to use it because the competitors were using it.
Thankfully the project I work at is such a mess that they don’t have the time to add AI to the workflow.
It’s because of the suicidal growth obsession that’s been baked into corporate culture. When you’ve already monopolized your industry, there isn’t much room left for growth, and companies wrung all the fat out years ago. There’s nothing left to cut. AI at least has the theoretical potential to keep growth going, so C levels cling to it like a drowning man clings to a life preserver.
Were you around for the big internet boom in the 90s where everyone, even your corner gas station, felt the need to have a website? All of these execs and media types were saying how everyone needed an “internet presence”. Then you had all of these people rushing to get “web certified”. It collapsed but some survived the storm.
I remember!
Like dung beetles to shit.