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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Economy & Trade

AI sidelines former executive, reducing him to photocopying tasks

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • A 60-year-old former executive in Japan, who once earned 12 million yen annually, now earns a quarter of that after being rehired post-retirement.
  • The executive's role was marginalized by the company's adoption of generative AI, leading to a loss of dignity and purpose.
  • He now performs tasks like photocopying and whiteboarding for younger colleagues, reflecting on his past dismissal of older workers who resisted new technology.

A 60-year-old former Japanese executive, who previously earned 12 million yen (approximately $76,000 USD) annually, now finds himself in a drastically reduced role after accepting re-employment post-retirement. His annual salary has been cut to just 4 million yen, with his actual monthly take-home pay around 190,000 yen (approximately $1,200 USD), a fraction of his former earnings. This financial necessity stems from an outstanding mortgage and the need to support his daughter.

The executive, identified by the pseudonym Seiichi Tanaka, managed nearly 40 subordinates in a large manufacturing company. He initially believed his extensive experience would remain valuable. However, his company's full integration of generative AI rendered his previous responsibilities obsolete. Reports and client analyses that once required his guidance can now be completed by AI in a fraction of the time with consistent quality.

Your experience is valuable, but for this task... AI is sufficient.

— ManagerDuring a performance review, a manager tells the former executive that AI can handle his job responsibilities.

His sense of purpose eroded as he was increasingly sidelined, attending fewer meetings and receiving no requests for his expertise. The final blow came during a performance review. A younger manager informed him that AI and management staff could now handle his duties, specifically sales data verification. When Tanaka attempted to emphasize the importance of nuanced understanding beyond numbers, the manager calmly stated, "Your experience is valuable, but for this task... AI is sufficient."

Tanaka now performs menial tasks such as photocopying documents for younger employees, erasing whiteboards, and arranging chairs. Despite company-provided AI training, he struggles to adapt, feeling it's faster to do things manually. His manager's seemingly considerate remark, "Mr. Tanaka, you don't need to force yourself to learn AI; your experience is enough," struck him as a confirmation of his obsolescence, leaving him feeling like a complete outsider.

People who don't learn new things will lose their jobs.

— Seiichi TanakaThe executive recalls a statement he made in his youth about employees who resist new technology, realizing it now applies to him.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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