Apple's AI already answers support calls. Its plan to cut 5,000 staff is paused.
Over the summer, Apple drew up a plan to lay off about 5,000 AppleCare support employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported on 29 September.
The reasoning, per Bloomberg: "AI-powered phone and web agents could take over some of the responsibilities" of those workers.
The plan is now "on hold indefinitely", and Apple is "no longer currently looking to take such a step", Bloomberg reported. Apple has not commented publicly on the report.
Customers calling AppleCare in the US or Canada are routed to an AI support assistant that answers questions and walks them through fixes. It hands the call to a person when asked.
Apple has also let go roughly half a dozen directors in middle management in recent weeks, according to the same report.
Would you cut 5,000 support jobs before you know how many calls the AI solves on its own?
Image: AI-generated.
Sources
Our file on Apple
- 30 Sept
Nvidia cleared $150 billion to buy back shares. Apple's biggest was $110 billion.
- 25 Sept
Samsung and Apple were named winners. Sub-$200 phones may lose 230 million a year.
- 21 Sept
Apple agreed to pay iPhone buyers about $25 each for Siri's delay.
For your next steering committee
- 1Ask which design decisions in your programme would be expensive to reverse, and when each was last reviewed.
- 2Ask which expected benefits change if the implementation approach changes.
- 3Ask who owns a decision to change course, and where it would be recorded.
Issue 01 of the ERP LEADERS brief puts a timeline, the three-number review and six questions on one page. Read issue 01
Welcome back. · Issue 01
