Here is your August guide to the latest trends impacting the world of work. Every month, we provide perspective on the biggest news affecting the industry and explain what to expect as new trends continue to emerge.
Internal guidance for employee use of ChatGPT
A Reuters/Ipsos poll has revealed that despite concerns leading companies like Microsoft and Google have about intellectual property leaks, many U.S. workers are using ChatGPT for basic tasks. ChatGPT, a chatbot program utilizing generative AI to engage in conversations and answer various prompts, is being used for tasks such as drafting emails, summarizing documents, and conducting preliminary research.
Approximately 28% of respondents from a pool of 2,625 U.S. adults reported using ChatGPT regularly at work, while only 22% stated that their employers explicitly permitted external tool usage. Some respondents noted their employers explicitly prohibited external AI tools, and roughly 25% were unsure of their company’s stance on the technology.
Although ChatGPT has grown rapidly in popularity since its launch, concerns have arisen regarding data privacy and the potential for proprietary information leaks. While OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, has reassured corporate partners that data won’t be used to train the chatbot further without explicit permission, security experts and companies stress the need for caution. Some businesses are adopting ChatGPT cautiously, incorporating it into their operations while maintaining data security measures. Despite the benefits of AI capabilities, experts advise vigilance and careful consideration of security risks.
As employees continue to become more comfortable, employers may want to consider placing training and guardrails to ensure productivity is managed safely. Additionally, the trend in usage may be an indicator of the normalization and pace of implementing ChatGPT in future candidate application submissions. Employers have more reasons to invest in the opportunity to set the tone and train employees on Generative AI usage.
Continue reading about the ways employees are incorporating Generative AI in their daily lives.
Global Tech Talent Supply and Expected Salaries
The technology industry has experienced an unprecedented demand for skilled professionals due to generative AI, labor market shifts, tight tech demand, and the pandemic fallout – disproportionately affecting women. TalentNeuron’s research on global tech hubs shows that tech talent demand surged by 100%, but Q2 2023 saw a 30% decline from the peak in Q2 2022 due to industry layoffs. This presents an opportunity for companies to access less competitive talent pools and boost digital initiatives.
- India stands out with abundant tech talent, but competition challenges talent attraction despite low salaries.
- In the U.S., cities like San Francisco and New York offer substantial tech talent but come with high labor costs.
- Latin American cities like Mexico City and Buenos Aires have emerged as cost-effective tech hubs.
- Budapest, Warsaw, and Helsinki are European tech talent destinations, while Asian cities like Metro Manila and Shenzhen offer abundant talent and low salaries.
This report underscores the importance of strategically evaluating global tech talent hubs for diversified pools and strategic workforce planning to succeed in the competitive tech market.
Continue reading the data analysis, full list of countries, talent supply and salary expectations.
Potential Talent Impacts: 2023 Q2 AI and LLM Business Decisions in Big Tech
As employers wonder where tech talent is moving, they can gain insights from Tanay Jaipuria, who writes a weekly newsletter focused on business and technology. In a recent edition, he lists out big tech’s decisions on their current and future products. Below are some takeaways:
- Amazon is focusing on three layers of the Large Language Models (LLM) stack: compute, LLMs as a service, and applications. They’re investing in GPUs and proprietary chips for training, offering LLMs as a service through Amazon Bedrock to various companies, and building applications like Amazon CodeWhisperer.
- Microsoft is infusing AI across its platforms. Their OpenAI Azure Service is gaining momentum with over 11,000 organizations using it. Among copilots supporting Office Suite, the newly released GitHub Copilot is performing well, and Microsoft is launching AI Sandbox for advertisers. Bing’s AI-powered features and Microsoft Edge’s growth are noteworthy.
- Meta, previously Facebook, emphasizes AI’s role in its technological waves, investing in infrastructure, recommendation systems, ad products, and consumer products. AI-recommended content is driving engagement, and Meta is open-sourcing models like Llama 2 and leveraging AI for ad improvements.
- Alphabet’s focus is on AI in search, productivity, and cloud infrastructure. GenAI introduces Google’s Search Generative Experience, improving results and latency. Bard and Google Duet enhance productivity, and their AI-optimized infrastructure attracts clients. Google supports various AI models in their platforms, experiencing strong growth.
- Apple considers AI core to its products, with AI features announced for iOS 17 at WWDC. Tim Cook stresses AI’s importance and ongoing innovation across their products.
Continue reading from Tanay’s list – plus, check out the direct quotes from the CEOs.
Google’s AI Search Product Is Adding Video and Improving Links
Google’s AI-powered Search Generative Experience (SGE) is receiving notable updates, underscoring its importance as the future of Google Search. So as candidates continue to adopt job searches via SGE, employers can keep up to date on how career site content appears on open web searches with some of the advancements below.
- SGE, accessible through Search Labs, now incorporates images and videos into the colorful summary box that appears atop search results. Google’s aim is to enhance the box’s speed and provide more context for the enclosed links. Although SGE remains experimental, CEO Sundar Pichai believes it represents the way forward for search, allowing for greater innovation and flexibility.
- SGE’s expansion to multimedia content raises significant questions about the future of the internet. Google is transitioning from simply providing relevant links to generating accurate and helpful information, which is challenging. Integrating videos, particularly from YouTube, holds potential, aiding users in queries that demand visual explanations.
- Google recognizes the importance of context and is now displaying publication dates beside summary box articles to indicate recency. Additionally, Google is testing in-line links in the AI-generated summaries. Striking a balance between offering information and enabling users to find it independently remains a core challenge for Google Search.
- While Google has reduced SGE’s loading time, further improvements are necessary, as speed is crucial in search. Despite this, users find SGE valuable for open-ended queries seeking suggestions or ideas. With its expanded sources, media, and context, SGE might continue to shift the focus away from traditional search results.
Continue reading about Google’s SGE advancement on The Verge.
Was the interviewer an AI simulation? Where did my $37 million go?
In late July, an engineer at CoinsPaid, the world’s largest crypto payment provider, fell victim to a sophisticated cyber-attack. The engineer, responding to a recruiter’s job offer (messaged via LinkedIn), engaged in a video interview where he was prompted to download a file for a technical test. Unbeknownst to him, this action granted hackers remote access to CoinsPaid’s systems. A few days later, the company’s security team discovered unusual withdrawals amounting to $37 million from their accounts. The attack’s speed and methodology suggest the involvement of Lazarus, a hacking group linked to North Korea. This incident marked the climax of a six-month operation during which the hackers launched various attacks, including phishing, to infiltrate the company’s network.
The attack exploited social engineering – manipulating individuals – to breach the company’s defenses, despite its reliance on blockchain technology. Lazarus has previously been implicated in high-profile cyber-attacks, like the WannaCry ransomware attack. In recent years, they’ve turned to the cryptocurrency sector to fund North Korea’s weapons development efforts.
Similar tactics had been employed in a previous attack on an Estonia-based crypto service, revealing a pattern of cyber threats. As a result of these breaches and regulatory concerns, Estonia’s crypto industry has faced limitations on licensing, with only 100 crypto companies currently operating in the country.
As AI continues to evolve, Talent Acquisition professionals, candidates and employees should be aware of the potential risks of social engineering. Are you producing content and guidelines for using AI? How educated are your candidates and employees on the potential dangers of applying for roles?
Click here to continue reading about the fake interview on Bloomberg.
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