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Apparently a page from an internal IBM training manual. Some further attempts at source it

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[-] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 156 points 1 week ago

And when computers make all management decisions, let us not forget that managers told them to do so, lest we forget whom to hold accountable.

[-] Lodespawn@aussie.zone 29 points 1 week ago

You know shit only flows downhill right?

[-] MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net 101 points 1 week ago
[-] sukhmel@programming.dev 15 points 1 week ago

I think what they meant is nobody in management cares if someone wants to hold them accountable

Bit it's a nice picture, yeah

[-] scathliath@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I don't know, they all sure hate Luigi for some reason.

[-] sukhmel@programming.dev 6 points 1 week ago

Probably not fans of Nintendo or something

[-] Salvo@aussie.zone 105 points 1 week ago

Managers aren’t being held accountable for their management decisions either.

“Oh, I sacked our entire workforce and sold all the company assets, so the figures will look amazing this month.”

“Oh, the figures are down this month, a golden handshake!? Thank you very much.”

[-] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Most industries management fails upward. Definitely true in Pharma.

There are CEOs with a 20 year string of development failures, but they bring "vast experience".

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[-] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 81 points 1 week ago

Ah, from back when people still had critical thinking faculties in good working order.

[-] Phoeniqz@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 6 days ago
[-] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 1 points 6 days ago

That'd be my parents who are dead and consequently not present, but thanks for bringing that up whilst completely stumping me with your eloquent, constructive and incisive counterargument that in no way proves my point.

[-] raman_klogius@ani.social 52 points 1 week ago

Back when tech is still dominated by hippies and not fascists.

[-] GrabtharsHammer@lemmy.world 52 points 1 week ago
[-] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 week ago

At the time the computers were kinda newfangled and they tolerated some hippies over there in research.

The business part, well, yeah.

[-] frezik 27 points 1 week ago

That's not how you would describe IBM at any point in its existence.

[-] thinkercharmercoderfarmer@slrpnk.net 26 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

This is as good an excuse as any to break out the ol' IBM corporate songbook

Tech has always been suits at the top, hippies at best an annoying necessity because they know how to actually operate the machine.

[-] frezik 8 points 1 week ago

"Back in the day", IBM was all suits the entire way up and down the ladder. They were considered the company for 1960/70s button down dress code.

The hippie types were at MIT hacking on DEC machines.

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[-] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 57 points 1 week ago

Reminds me of Woz’s old saying “Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window.”

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 28 points 1 week ago

That became easier with phones huh.

[-] lauha@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

Yes, really easy to throw cloud out the window

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[-] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 43 points 1 week ago

Executives today:

This means if we put AI somewhere in our decision making, we can no longer be held accountable.

[-] prole 39 points 1 week ago

Isn't that exactly why they do use them for management decisions?

[-] InputZero@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

Yup!

"I'm sorry but your contact is terminated because our management software designated your position as redundant and unnecessary. It wasn't our decision to let you go, but it was our decision to begin using that software and it was our decision to program it to try to fire as many employees as possible, but it's not our decision and therefore we can't be held responsible. Goodbye."

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[-] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 31 points 1 week ago

Since when are managers held accountable? Is this new?

[-] sundray@lemmus.org 21 points 1 week ago

I can only assume the very next slide said, "But having a computer make battlefield targeting decisions is A-OK!" /s

[-] someguy3@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago

It's just a little war crimes, it's ok it's ok.

[-] Croquette@sh.itjust.works 21 points 1 week ago

That's the neat thing, you can deny accountability by blaming the computer's decision

[-] InnerScientist@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

A COMPUTER CAN NEVER BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE

THEREFORE A COMPUTER MUST ~~NEVER~~ MAKE ~~A~~ MANAGEMENT DECISIONs

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Let's be honest though, most managers, maybe ~60% could be replaced by AI. If you want evidence, think of anyone who goes to meetings, and those who go to meetings all day element 90% of meetings, at minimal. Those jobs shouldn't exist. They are what people like Bezos/Musk believe should not exist.

Now, how does one get from being nothing, and never being in meetings to being someone making money... You can't, unless you know someone. AI is an "American Dream" killer

[-] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 week ago

Well that’s the exact reason these people are so horny for AI.

https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-era-of-the-business-idiot/

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[-] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 16 points 1 week ago

That's why board executives and business are so excited about it

[-] Saarth@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

They can finally get rid of McKinsey and blame it on cheaper and faster trendy butthole logo of the month.

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[-] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 week ago

TBF Management can barely make any management decisions either...

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[-] Heikki2@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago

As a US citizen, this logic need to be applied to corperations. The C_Os make all the decisions for the company, the Campany should not be held as responsible for the shitty actions of its Board. The Board should be held accountable for the companies actions be required to served by all the C_Os. I say served, I mean fines and prison time ,in all cases, as a fine is paid personally by the person and time is served aslo bu the person.

I know fine are just a temporary for "legal fo .a price" fine should be paid to hut them so Retirement accounts are taken, future earning are taken, income from salary+bonus at time of infraction are taken, and close loops of off shore accounts

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[-] saltnotsugar@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Thou shall not make a machine in the likeness of a human mind.

[-] psud@aussie.zone 2 points 2 days ago

That's alright, so far they haven't even come close

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[-] FishFace@piefed.social 10 points 1 week ago

This is sad, not humorous

[-] sunbeam60@lemmy.one 7 points 1 week ago

This endless separation into “managers” and “not managers” is so unproductive. Everyone manages something. That’s why you’re employed.

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[-] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

A complete one-eighty nowadays..."As a highly paid "business" exec I have no ideas...computer, tell me what to do."

[-] borth@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago

But a computer works for "free" so "not being held accountable" is even better!!

[-] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 2 days ago

Midrange might, but mainframe users pay ongoing amounts to IBM for however much compute they use for the life of the machine

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this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2025
1659 points (100.0% liked)

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