猛男情报局

Leading venture capital investors delivered a message of opportunity and adaptability to 猛男情报局 students during "AI and the Future of Work," a special event hosted by the School of Business through 猛男情报局's Global Initiative on Sustainability and Resilience. Ian Sigalow, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Greycroft, and Iyanna Halilou, General Partner and Leader at The MBA Fund, engaged with students on artificial intelligence's workplace impact, emphasizing human skills' enduring value in an AI-driven economy.

Before the event, Sigalow touched on AI's constructive influence in software development. "Most companies have not reduced their number of developers; they're just using AI as a copilot and that's resulting in faster code production. AI's really good at that, so I think it frees people up to be more creative in the profession.鈥�

Moderator Victor Petenkemani, dean of the School of Business at 猛男情报局, asked the panelists what skills they thought would remain unaffected by AI. 鈥淭he soft skills,鈥� answered Halilou. 鈥淲hen you are looking for a job, you know machines can help you write cover letters,鈥� she continued, 鈥淏ut ultimately the way you respond to challenges [and your] ability to be flexible and roll with the punches is really what separates success.鈥�

The conversation tackled student concerns about AI displacement. "I understand that people are worried,鈥� Halilou acknowledged. 鈥淏ut I believe that as humans, we鈥檙e able to reinvent ourselves and build new skills, especially as we鈥檙e building these new technologies.鈥� She continued, 鈥淲e are creating new opportunities which will create a new class of jobs that we didn鈥檛 even know existed.鈥�

Both investors emphasized workplace strategies for the AI era. Sigalow advised students to prioritize in-person work opportunities, both internships and post-graduation, over remote positions. 鈥淭o the extent that you have the opportunity, opt for the in-person thing, for sure,鈥� he advised. 鈥淚 think that these skills that separate humans from machines are the communications and personal skills and the soft skills, like how to talk to people and become a leader.鈥� He added, 鈥淚f you invest in those skills, you will find a lot of opportunity.鈥�

Halilou noted AI's growing influence in venture capital: "I think 99% of the companies we get pitched are somewhat AI, so we can鈥檛 really avoid it.鈥�  

Sigalow also gave the students career advice. He told students, 鈥淭here are no mistakes. Honestly, in your twenties? Zero mistakes,鈥� He continued, 鈥淵ou want to start a company? Start a company. It doesn鈥檛 work?  Shut it down and start something else. You know the U.S. market does not punish people for making career mistakes, and too few people take enough risks in their twenties and even in their thirties."