I work for a software and DevOps consultancy firm, which means that I get an assignment to build software for one of my company's customers. (I'm on a US DOD cybersecurity contract).
I'm sitting in the monthly All-Hands meeting, and I had to turn off my camera, because I didn't want everyone to see how much I'm rolling my eyes right now.
Our Chief Digital Officer says that a recent MIT study shows that only 5% of new software projects built on AI actually make it to market. And that's why we have to go all in on AI to fill that market gap where others are failing.
He also started by saying that as we move towards AI-focused work, we're doing so to "distinguish ourselves". Yeah. We're going to "distinguish ourselves" by jumping into the bandwagon that everyone else is jumping into.
Yesterday, I got a text from an AI recruiter called Riley from Apex Systems. It said it was reaching out about a backend developer position, and if I'd like to hear more, to reply "CALL" to receive a callback from it.
I was tempted to get the callback out of curiosity, but the whole thing was just too weird.
Since I didn't reply, it followed up today with an email with more information about the job. The job was using a language I've never used before, it was a contract position (I currently have a permanent position), and making just a bit more than half of what I'm currently making.
So, basically useless. And the fact that it addressed me by my proper name (Daniel), when I go by Dan everywhere online and on my resume made it so much weirder.
I would describe myself as an AI skeptic with serious concerns about the technology, but I don't complete dismiss out-of-hand. I use an AI coding agent from time to time, and brainstorm with ChatGPT regularly. But I don't think I'll interacting with any AI recruiters any time soon.
It might as well be a robocall.
I just had #ChatGPT write a cover letter for me for a job application. It came out really well. #JobSearch #AI