GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Acrisure, an insurance company based in Grand Rapids, is planning to cut hundreds of jobs early next year.
Specifically, around 400 jobs are expected to be cut in the accounting department. About 200 of those jobs will be cut in Grand Rapids, according to a company spokesperson.
The move, a company spokesperson told News Channel 3, was not an easy decision, “as it affects colleagues who have given so much to our company and our community.” They issued the following statement:
Acrisure’s ability to lead change has always been one of our greatest strengths, and these changes are necessary for us to remain competitive, strong, and able to deliver what our clients expect from us. Acrisure remains very committed to the Grand Rapids community and our home state of Michigan, where we employ approximately 2,000 people and continue to hire for roles in various areas. We will continue investing in local partnerships, programs, nonprofits, and initiatives that strengthen the region, while working toward a future that creates value for employees, customers, and the broader community alike.
As technology advances, many people are concerned about the use Artificial Intelligence leading to job cuts.
A report from Fortune.com shows college grads are having problems finding jobs because of AI related workforce reductions.
However, Senior Security Engineer Eric Woelfel tells News Channel 3 that while layoffs are happening now, it’s a trend that may not stick.
“What we’re gonna see, I think, is we’ll have some folks get laid off initially, but then they’re gonna be hired back because the overlying companies weren’t able to embed ai into their processes well enough to actually replace those folks,” Woekfel said. “So then, we might see more people get hired to fill in all those spots that were so aggressively removed initially.”
Woelfel tells News Channel 3 that it’s important that if you use AI, to do so responsibly.
He recommends learning how to use AI because it can be a useful skill in the current workforce.