IBM CEO Arvind Krishna has confirmed that the company replaced several hundred human resources (HR) employees with artificial intelligence-powered systems, particularly its AskHR agent that automates 94% of routine HR tasks. Despite the layoffs, IBM’s overall workforce has grown, as resources freed by automation have been redirected to hire more programmers, sales staff, and employees in roles that require critical thinking. IBM claims AI has improved productivity by $3.5 billion and has automated operations in over 70 business areas. The company is also expanding its generative AI business, offering tools for clients to build their own AI agents. Krishna’s revelation reflects a broader trend of AI adoption in major companies to streamline operations and shift human workers to higher-value tasks.































