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IBM to stop recruiting, may replace 7,800 jobs with AI

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Arvind Krishna, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), says the company will pause job recruitment for human roles that could be replaced with artificial intelligence (AI) in five years.

Krishna, in an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, said hiring in back-office functions such as human resources will slowly fade out as he believes AI would literally replace them.

The CEO of the giant technology firm said with the company having 26,000 workers handling non-customer-facing roles, he could “easily see 30 percent of that getting replaced by AI and automation over a five-year period.”

This means about 7,800 jobs will be lost.

Artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. Specific applications of AI include expert systems, natural language processing, speech recognition, and machine vision.

“More mundane tasks such as providing employment verification letters or moving employees between departments will likely be fully automated,” Krishna said.

“Some HR functions, such as evaluating workforce composition and productivity, probably won’t be replaced over the next decade.

“IBM currently employs about 260,000 workers and continues to hire for software development and customer-facing roles. Finding talent is easier today than a year ago.”

Earlier this year, the IBM announced job cuts expected to affect about 5,000 workers once completed. However, Krishna said IBM has added to its workforce overall, bringing on about 7,000 people in the first quarter.

Meanwhile, the IBM boss’ comments comes at a time when people around the world are fascinated by the ability of AI technology following the launch of Microsoft Corp-backed OpenAI’s viral chatbot, ChatGPT, in November last year.

Recent reports have also shown that machines or AI will take over millions of full-time jobs from humans.

Late last year, a number of organisations such as Meta, Amazon among others have laid off workers due to macroeconomic challenges.

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Nigeria’s GDP rate grew by 3.46% in Q3 2024, says NBS

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The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says Nigeria’s annual gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 3.46 percent in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024.

The NBS, in its GDP report published on Monday, said the growth rate is higher than the 3.19 percent recorded in Q2 2024.

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Dangote refinery reduces ex-depot price of petrol to N970 for oil marketers

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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced a reduction in its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N970 per litre for oil marketers.

This is a cut from the refinery’s N990 ex-depot price announced earlier this month, according to a statement on Sunday.

The slash would help marketers save about N20 on each litre of petrol bought from the Lekki-based plant.

Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Group’s chief branding and communications officer, said the move is the refinery’s way of appreciating Nigerians “for their unwavering support in making the refinery a dream come true”.

“In addition, this is to thank the government for their support as this will complement the measures put in place to encourage domestic enterprise for our collective well-being,” the statement reads.

“While the refinery would not compromise on the quality of its petroleum products, we assure you of best quality products that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

“We are determined to keep ramping up production to meet and surpass our domestic fuel consumption; thus, dispelling any fear of a shortfall in supply.”

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Allegation of missing fund untrue, says Access Bank

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Access Bank Limited has dismissed as untrue allegations of missing fund and unethical behaviour.

The Bank in a statement said: “Our attention has been drawn to a video on social media wherein allegations of missing funds and unethical behaviour have been made against Access Bank PLC.

“First and foremost, we wish to emphasise that the safety and security of our customers’ funds are core priorities which we take seriously. Second, Access Bank Plc does not engage in or condone any unethical behaviour.

“In the instant case, the allegations of missing funds in the Bank are most untrue and baseless.

“There is no N500million or any other fund or amount missing from the subject customer’s account or from any other customer’s account with us.

“We and other independent stakeholders in the banking industry have thoroughly investigated these allegations and independently arrived at the same conclusions.

“Access Bank PLC operates with the highest ethical standards, and we protect our customers’ interests whilst also respecting privacy laws.

“Consequently, whilst we have engaged and will continue to engage with our customers, we must advise the public not to rely on or believe sensational and unverified claims that are designed to titillate and mislead the public.

“We remain committed to serving our customers.”

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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