IBM’s Ruchir Puri Urges Engineers to Go Beyond Big Tech

• IBM Chief Scientist urges graduates to explore AI opportunities beyond Big Tech.
• AI adoption accelerates across sectors, expanding demand for technical talent.
• Tech job market tightens despite rising enterprise investment in AI.

As AI revolutionizes various industries, IBM executives advise new graduates to seek opportunities for impact and innovation in multiple fields, rather than solely within the largest firms in Silicon Valley.

IBM’s Chief Scientist Ruchir Puri advises young engineers facing a volatile job market to avoid solely pursuing the major tech companies. In an interview with Business Insider, Puri encouraged recent graduates to expand their perspectives and consider options outside of companies such as Google, Microsoft, and even IBM.

“Stop only chasing the tech giants everyone else is pining after,” Puri said, noting that software engineers are now essential far beyond traditional technology companies. “Artificial intelligence is transforming every sector - from agriculture to retail - and meaningful work is happening everywhere.” 

Puri mentioned John Deere, the agricultural machinery producer, as an instance of a firm that has discreetly developed substantial technological expertise, employing AI and automation to revolutionize farming

“Graduates often overlook such enterprises while focusing narrowly on Silicon Valley,” he added, urging young job seekers to look “beyond a narrow set of technology companies” to the “massive enterprise landscape” being reshaped by AI. 

His remarks come during a changing job market for technology professionals. A report from Handshake in August indicated that job listings dropped by 16% compared to the previous year, whereas applications for each listing rose by 26%, signifying a more competitive hiring environment. While investment in AI rises, leading tech companies such as Salesforce, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon have revealed significant layoffs planned for 2025. IBM confirmed earlier this month that it plans to reduce thousands of jobs worldwide in the fourth quarter.

Nonetheless, IBM's executives continue to feel hopeful about the prospects arising in AI. In an interview with CNN, CEO Arvind Krishna shared Puri’s view and stated that the company intends to boost recruitment of recent graduates in the coming year, especially for positions related to AI.

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“People are talking about layoffs or hiring freezes, but I actually want to say we are the opposite,” Krishna said. “We expect to hire more people out of college over the next 12 months than we have in recent years.” 

Krishna stated that although automation will certainly eliminate certain jobs, the overall perspective remains encouraging. “On the net mix, it’s a plus for us,” he remarked, highlighting the increasing demand for expertise in AI, quantum computing, and corporate technology.

Puri’s and Krishna’s common message highlights a wider change in the tech job story, from pursuing status to discovering meaning. For emerging engineers, the upcoming wave of innovation might not originate within the renowned Big Tech structures, but rather in the factories, agricultural areas, and logistics systems that are subtly transforming with AI.