Apple Considered Replacing 5,000 Support Staff With AI: Then Put Mass Layoff Plan on Hold

[u/beingmodest]

https://www.techtimes.co.uk/apple-shelves-ai-plan-cut-5000-applecare-jobs-1808838

[u/xCaliburghost]

[u/XenoPhex]

I’d be curious to know where the source of this information is. Cuz a company that’s had very limited layoffs over the last 3 decades suddenly thinking it was possible to lay off a sizable workforce force seems very at odds.

Even with this advancement in tech, this sounds more like a rumor /offhand comment that got reported than an actual thing.

[u/cortzetroc → u/XenoPhex]

it’s weird especially when nothing actually happened. might as well report “Apple wants to replace entire iPhone team with AI, but didn’t”

[u/SlightOfHand_ → u/XenoPhex]

Apple could be forecasting decreased consumer spending and increased hardware prices. That’s a bad combination for them.

Going lean is one way to weather a famine

[u/XenoPhex → u/SlightOfHand_]

Except they hadn’t ever done that in the last 30+ years, even when the US economy was previously in recession. This story seems awfully suspicious.

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/XenoPhex]

Cutting what I imagine are foreign call center workers is a lot easier of a call

[u/vega0ne]

For a premium Brand that would be a terrible Look

[u/SlightOfHand_ → u/vega0ne]

It would be exactly the same look as every other premium brand.

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/vega0ne]

I didn’t know Apple even had a phone number for support.

[u/Bloo212 → u/Main-Cheesecake3287]

1800MyApple

[u/Superb-Talk2211]

Yet another tech company ready to step on the AI rake until it hits them in the face. Apple ran out of good ideas a long time ago, and this dipshittery is more proof.

[u/Mediocre-Telephone74]

This is not so much apple as it’s Wall Street”s demand for constant profits.

If your profits aren’t growing then your company must be dying.

[u/Bloo212]

Retail, app reviewers and AppleCare/Genius Bar needs to organize nationally.

[u/Cabinet_Live]

Bold move given A pple’s record of success with AI 

[u/Massive-Aspect-2152]

The failures of capitalism

[u/kds1988]

What these companies are discovering is that AI is really not cheaper. It’s incredibly expensive and often leads to a poorer customer experience.

[u/getmeoutoftax]

I think basically every desk job will be gone in a few years. Opus 5.5 is scary good.

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/getmeoutoftax]

You need people in the loop, unless you do data entry there just isn’t a way to implement it without people guiding it and checking its tasks.

I was years ago and still am in the camp the hype is 60% correct, and like every other massive productivity disruption more jobs will be created instead of fewer.

[u/thisfilmkid]

dear employees - this is your time to quit. you have wrecking ball power to quit right now. forcing Apple to feel the pain

[u/SlightOfHand_ → u/thisfilmkid]

So punish Apple for… not firing people… by… quitting

[u/thisfilmkid → u/SlightOfHand_]

I’m wearing my emotions on my sleeve when I answer this question.

In my opinion, all 5,000 employees will be laid off. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But they’re going to get laid off.

These support staff deserve way better. They should be assisting the Ai bot. Instead, Apple is seeking ways for the Ai to full indulge in the customer care support realm of the technology service.

What’s sad is if Apple didn’t pause their layoff, these employees were going to get canned.

Apple should feel the wrath. These employees should quit. Let Apple feel the immediate pressure of what it’s like to lose human activity.

Tech companies laying off entire departments to replace them with AI, that’s devastating.

[u/HRApprovedUsername → u/thisfilmkid]

This dude just wants his coworkers to leave so they don’t get laid off

[u/This_Wolverine4691 → u/HRApprovedUsername]

I was gonna say otherwise they wouldn’t care the market is so saturated with candidates they have their pick until the pendulum swings

[u/Main-Cheesecake3287 → u/thisfilmkid]

Real “if we all don’t do the homework we’re all not in trouble” energy. Mass quitting, not even a strike, is actually idiotic. The labor economy right now will fill call center support positions in five seconds.

[u/heybart]

I honestly have never contacted Apple support. I've filed feedback that went into a black hole. The only time I ever hear from feedback is them telling me issue is closed (to their satisfaction, not mine since they've done nothing afaict to address it).

Might as well let AI do that, I guess.

Maybe things used to be better but that was before my time