Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, known for his high-profile investments and bold claims, recently published an op-ed in TIME magazine extolling the virtues of artificial intelligence (AI). While Benioff paints AI as a revolutionary force set to transform human life, critics have raised questions about the broader implications of his vision, particularly its impact on employment and economic stability.
In his essay, Benioff described a future where autonomous AI agents could handle tasks traditionally performed by humans—offering examples like retail operations during the holiday season, where digital agents manage customer queries, stock levels, and logistics autonomously. This, he claims, represents the next leap in productivity, allowing businesses to operate more efficiently without growing their workforce.
The Promise of AI—or Just Another Sales Pitch?
Benioff’s rhetoric aligns with a long-standing pattern in Silicon Valley, where transformative technologies are marketed as world-changing revolutions. From the iPhone to cryptocurrency, many of these innovations have undoubtedly reshaped industries—but often at significant social and economic costs. Critics argue that while these technologies enrich their creators, they often exacerbate inequality for everyone else.
Benioff’s vision of “digital labor” replacing human jobs is emblematic of this trend. By his own admission, the software his company sells enables companies to boost productivity while reducing headcount. For businesses, this translates to cost savings; for workers, it could mean fewer job opportunities.
The Economic Reality
The U.S. economy already faces significant challenges:
• 7 million unemployed individuals and millions more underemployed.
• 37 million people living in poverty.
• Older workers (65+) remaining in the workforce, their employment rate growing by 120% in two decades due to inadequate retirement savings.
In this context, replacing workers with AI raises ethical and practical questions about the future of work. If technology-driven disruption eliminates jobs faster than the economy can create new opportunities, the societal consequences could be dire.
Trusting the Future—or the Oligarchs?
Benioff ends his essay with a call to make “trust” the “north star” in navigating this AI-driven future, promising “meaningful impact at an unprecedented scale.” Critics, however, argue that such vague language obscures the true cost of entrusting the economy to tech elites whose primary goal is profit.
The question remains: Who benefits from this AI revolution? While Benioff envisions a seamless, automated future, millions of Americans may find themselves excluded from its promises, forced to grapple with diminishing job prospects and widening inequality.
The real challenge for leaders like Benioff isn’t just selling AI—it’s ensuring that its benefits are equitably distributed in a way that uplifts, rather than undermines, the broader workforce.
News Source:gizmodo，This article does not represent our position.
