Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming workplaces across industries, and Palo Alto Networks CEO Nikesh Arora told us that administrative departments (human resources & finance) will be the ones that will be most impacted in the coming years. Speaking about the future of work, Arora said that AI-powered systems will increasingly take over structured, process-based tasks, reducing the need for large teams while increasing employee productivity.
Many HR and Finance departments are dealing with repetitive workflows, documentation, approvals, compliance and process management, Arora said. These are the areas where intelligent AI systems can improve efficiency by automating routine work and making smarter decisions.
"There’s a lot of process management there. And a lot of process management can be made more intelligent using some version of an adapted future AI application," Arora said, explaining why these departments are more vulnerable to AI-driven automation.
Palo Alto Networks chief also predicted a fundamental shift in the software industry. Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms that store and display information today will gradually become AI-powered applications that analyze data, give recommendations and act in autonomous ways, he said.
In order to stress the difference between today’s software and future AI systems, Arora said, "SaaS applications have no opinion. AI applications will have opinions." He thinks that this change will completely change enterprise workflows and decision-making processes.
According to Arora, AI assistants will be intelligent collaborators rather than passive digital tools. Instead of simply presenting reports or dashboards in the future, AI applications will also review work, flag weaknesses and suggest improvements.
Given an example from marketing, he said an AI assistant could evaluate advertising copy and immediately give constructive feedback by pointing out inconsistencies with a company's brand voice and suggesting better alternatives. It will make employees much more productive, he believes, such intelligent help."I looked at your copy, it sucks. It’s not good enough. It’s not consistent with the tone of your brand voice. Here’s what I recommend," Arora said when talking about how AI would interact with employees in the future.
But he also noted that greater productivity would naturally reduce the need for larger teams. Palo Alto Networks employs 600 people in marketing, but Arora said AI would eventually take up a substantial share of routine work in those departments.
Arora also emphasized that AI will create jobs in other fields as well. And while job losses are a concern, he said, demand will grow for software engineers, cybersecurity experts, AI specialists, and sales experts who can help to expand the reach of AI for companies and to make AI-powered products more attractive.
"If your product is really good you need more people to go out there and cover the universe because not enough people know about it," he said, arguing that companies will increasingly look for employees who are “AI savvy.”
Arora said one of the biggest challenges organizations face today is a lack of AI literacy among employees. “More than 90% of enterprise workers don’t have practical AI skills and we need professionals to teach themselves and adapt to the rapidly evolving workplace,” he said.
Arora said he is confident that Palo Alto Networks, currently worth nearly $287 billion, will build a lot of AI-skilled employees in the next three years.
He concluded with a stark reminder that the AI revolution is a “Darwinian moment” for the global workforce, where continuous learning and adaptability will determine professional success.
Arora's comments come at a time when a number of international technology companies like Meta, Amazon, Oracle and Cognizant are already restructuring their workforce and accelerating AI integration in their businesses. As the use of AI develops and more and more people are adopting it, most experts believe the people who embrace AI tools and constantly learn will be best placed to excel in the future job market.
Comments
Please to leave a comment on this article.