IBM Boss Speaks Out: Programmers Aren’t Going Anywhere, AI Boosts Productivity, and Global Trade Is Still King

If you’ve been losing sleep over headlines screaming that AI is coming for everyone’s jobs, take a deep breath. IBM’s CEO, Arvind Krishna, recently dropped some wisdom at SXSW that might just put your mind at ease. He tackled the burning questions on everyone’s lips: Will AI replace programmers? Is global trade really slowing down? And what’s next for tech innovation? Spoiler alert—we’ve actually covered some of this in our blog before, but let’s break it down fresh with Krishna’s latest insights.

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AI Isn’t Snatching Jobs—It’s Giving Programmers Superpowers

Let’s cut to the chase. There’s been a lot of noise about AI taking over coding jobs. Some big names, like Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei, have even claimed AI could handle 90% of coding tasks in just a matter of months. But Krishna isn’t buying it. In his view, AI will only cover about 20-30% of programming work—and that’s being generous.

Instead of seeing AI as a replacement, Krishna argues it’s more like a sidekick. It’s great at handling repetitive, boring tasks—think debugging simple issues or generating boilerplate code—but when it comes to complex problem-solving or creative thinking, humans are still the champs. This isn’t the first time he’s talked about automation shaking things up. Back in 2023, Krishna froze hiring for certain roles at IBM, predicting that around 30% of routine jobs could be handed off to machines within five years.

But those roles? They’re mostly the grunt work—not the kind of strategic, high-level stuff that requires human insight.

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Krishna also pointed out that history shows us technology doesn’t kill jobs—it changes them. Remember when calculators came along? Did they wipe out accountants? Nope. Same deal here. AI tools are set to make programmers faster and sharper, not obsolete.

Global Trade Is Alive and Kicking

On another front, Krishna made it clear he’s not buying into the “globalization is dying” narrative. He flat-out said, “Global trade isn’t going anywhere.” And he backed it up with numbers: A 10% bump in global trade typically leads to a 1% rise in GDP. Those aren’t just stats—they’re proof that open markets drive prosperity.

He also emphasized how crucial it is to keep attracting top talent from around the world. While some voices are calling for tighter immigration rules to “protect” local jobs, Krishna warned that shutting out skilled workers could backfire big time. If the U.S. wants to stay ahead in the tech race, it needs to roll out the red carpet for international innovators, not slam the door in their faces.

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The Bigger Picture: Legal Hurdles and Quantum Dreams

Of course, Krishna didn’t sugarcoat everything. He acknowledged there are still plenty of unanswered questions, especially around intellectual property. Who owns the data used to train AI models? What about the output they produce? These legal gray areas need sorting out sooner rather than later.

And while current AI systems are impressive, Krishna isn’t convinced they’ll reach the level of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)—the kind of brainpower that could rival Einstein or Oppenheimer. Instead, he’s got his eyes on quantum computing. IBM is sinking serious resources into this field, betting it’ll unlock discoveries we can’t even imagine yet. From revolutionizing medicine to tackling climate change, quantum tech could be the next giant leap forward.

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What Should You Take Away From All This?

Krishna’s message boils down to this: AI isn’t the enemy—it’s an ally. For coders, it means leaning into these new tools to work smarter, not harder. For businesses, it’s a chance to rethink processes and supercharge efficiency. And for economies, it’s a reminder that collaboration across borders is key to growth.

If you’re curious about how AI is reshaping industries without wiping out jobs, we’ve dug into this topic before on our blog. The bottom line? Humans are still running the show, and that’s not changing anytime soon.

So whether you’re writing code, shaping policy, or just trying to make sense of the future, one thing’s for sure: AI is here to help, not hurt. Game on!