#ai

Greedy AI investment with un realistic expectations burned out IT team. IT teams started digging hole for all store and core employees, ended up digging too many. Now it's time to burry them all including the one who dug it in the first place.
Irony is, Now everyone is asking AI will they be on the list.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/in-the-age-of-ai-ceos-quietly-signal-that-layoffs-are-a-badge-of-honor/ar-AA1QqxWA

In today’s CEO Daily: Geoff Colvin on how CEOs are becoming bolder about replacing human workers with AI.
The big story: White House considers reducing tariffs on food imports.
The markets: Down bad.
Plus: All the news and watercooler chat from Fortune.
Good morning. The wave of layoff announcements over the past few weeks is telling us something, most importantly, something that isn’t as easily measured as the number of jobs eliminated. It’s a change in the business environment. We can see this especially in big-company culture, a shift in what is OK and even virtuous to say out loud. Just maybe it’s signaling a new norm for employment and leadership. At its foundation, of course, is AI, regardless of whether companies say so directly.

Over the past two weeks. we’ve learned that Amazon will eliminate 14,000 jobs with plans to eliminate more. Target will cut 1,800 corporate jobs, the company’s biggest layoff in a decade. United Parcel Service reported it had eliminated a staggering 48,000 jobs so far this year. Verizon will lay off 15,000. Nestlé said it will cut 16,000 jobs, mostly white-collar, in the next two years. Why all those mega-layoff announcements in just a few weeks? The usual reasons don’t explain it. The economy hasn’t suddenly changed significantly. Companies could conceivably be bracing for a recession, though it’s far from clear when or if that might arrive; the Wall Street Journal’s October survey of economists shows growth increasing next year. The traditional season for general “slimming-down” layoffs is December and January.

The obvious explanation is AI. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy had already warned employees what was coming: “In the next few years,” he announced in June, Amazon “will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.” The recent announcement emphasized “removing layers.” Target COO Michael Fiddelke (becoming CEO in February) didn’t say “AI,” but he said the company had “too many layers and overlapping work” and would “accelerate technology.” JPMorgan Chase isn’t announcing layoffs but is taking a stance to avoid hiring even as the company expects to grow. The company has “a very strong bias against having the reflexive response to any given need to hire more people,” CFO Jeremy Barnum told analysts recently. “There are definitely productivity tailwinds from AI.”

Note the language. It isn’t defensive or apologetic. Just the opposite—it’s direct and confident. Among Fortune 500 CEOs, having fewer employees is becoming a badge of honor. Call the new model Human Capital Lite, or from employees’ perspective, Right Sizing, Left Standing.

In January 2024, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, “In my little group chat with my tech CEO friends, there’s this betting pool for the first year when there’s a one-person billion-dollar company—which would have been unimaginable without AI and now will happen.”We’re not there yet, and we may never go there. But we’re getting closer.—Geoff Colvin

Contact CEO Daily via Diane Brady at diane.brady@fortune.com

The AI bubble is bursting, the so called AI factories are doomed. Yann LeCun left Meta tired with the shennanigans of Zuck and his honchos.. Nothing good on the horizon for Dell either..

Said specifically by CEO yesterday during UBS call. Also indicated Centene is not trying to grow at this point (hence the title) and that they are bracing for up to 30+ percent drop in ACA membership. Medicaid will really feel it come 2017. And that’s not even considering what impact continued gains in AI will mean for employees. I hate to be negative here, but I’m not seeing much upside.

This round is employees. Next round The Company is literally eliminating groups. Any business that's been struggling to make money is gone. They make no money in advertising because yahoo was a failure, they make no money in fleet, no money in video they failed at TV and the streaming business, no money in international business, no money in cyber security, no money in government contracts

Dan is focused on being a wireless phone company with hopes of AI bringing new ideas to the table. The old ideas are going to be eliminated

https://blogs.cisco.com/news/building-the-future-of-enterprise-ai-ciscos-intent-to-acquire-neuralfabric

OpenAI has been making it rain infrastructure deals. The AI startup just dropped another $38 billion on Amazon Web Services, adding to agreements with Oracle, Microsoft, AMD, and a plethora of other deals that total over $1 trillion this year so far. But there's one company conspicuously missing from the invite list to this very expensive party. Intel, the former belle of the Silicon Valley ball, is now watching everyone else dance.

So when OpenAI came knocking in 2017, hat in hand, asking Intel to invest in their fledgling AI startup, Intel said no thanks. Why would the king of computing need to bet on some nonprofit's sci-fi dreams?

Now, Intel is the one begging for a seat at the table while OpenAI doesn't seem to be interested.

"Why go back to a firm that has an inferior product and also snubbed you?" said Tim Derdenger, an associate professor at Carnegie Mellon's Tepper School of Business.

https://semiwiki.com/forum/threads/openai-wont-buy-intels-ai-chips-says-associate-professor.24015/

There is a new program across T&S call PDS. Anyone heard about it? They call themselves data leads and AI experts what is far from the truth. IDT said they will not survive 2026 but who knows.

In the next 6 months as the ai bubble will be in full affect

Strategy since TU acquired Neustar team to replace (cut) TU workforce. You dont know where you are heading; New tune now talking AI and so on. Prangana failed , OneDev 1.0 expired, One Tru & OneDev2.0 frozen; new tune AI 1.0
Soon dump stocks and then out of office.

“My grandfather was a union organizer in the garment district in New York City. My mother took me to a civil rights demonstration in Washington in my stroller”

What a fu--ing charlatan. Everyone around this a--hole is su-king up to him to keep their jobs. This was some low level account executive without a comp sci background just a month ago telling us the wonders of AI he’s exposed to cause he sees pre-release models. What would this fool be able to discern? Charlatans of Silicon Valley jingling keys in front of a boomer toddler. Ask grandpa if he can convert to PDF or if he needs perplexity to do that for him. Funniest thing about this farce is him talking about being scrappy and then going in hiring his buddy from Columbia who did a sh-t job there against the Trump admin.

If you are working from home, your job will be replaced by AI.

https://www.cnbc.com/video/2025/11/12/oracle-and-coreweave-represent-bad-behavior-in-the-ai-buildout-says-da-davidsons-gil-luria.html

Cisco had an incredible quarter.
J2 has righted the ship hyperfocusing on AI Infrastructure

http://techrights.org/n/2025/11/13/Under_IBM_Red_Hat_Isn_t_a_Linux_Company_It_s_Sold_to_Clients_as.shtml

The impending layoffs are about the same thing as it's always been about. Prioritizing PROFITS over people! This company is by no means struggling. Free cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 was $15.8 BILLION, an increase from $14.5 BILLION during the same period in 2024. This company is still making BILLIONS in profit. Where did the increase in revenue come from? Through price hikes and rising fees; and they wonder why churn is high?

There's a WSJ article where Dan is saying 'We'll hit AGI (human level intelligence) in the next 2-4 years'. He's a big proponent of pushing AI. Why?
Bc he is an investor in the AI field primarily as a Managing Partner at Valor Capital Group, which invests in various technology companies. Wall St and Silicon valley are obsessed with AI and they pushing it down our throats even though regular consumers are not asking for it. The demand for AI comes from the top down, not bottoms up.

Where is the HUMANITY in AI? What will happen to the PEOPLE after our jobs are replaced by AI? Seems like the Board has let the fox in to guard the hen house.

I’m happy our stock is up - but markets are over-rewarding hyperscaler AI exposure; ( we know the Hyperscaler ) Kudos to Martin ‘s Silicon One team and let’s hope they continue to deliver else will be punish harder next year - AI infra is the hottest narrative in tech.

Top-heavy CPO office not done much here - btw NO SECURITY headlines !!! What’s going on there ?

Looking at the feedback and followups from the flaccid ‘fireside chat’ meetings, you will see that Eliza was used to collate responses and determine what the outcomes were. There are bullets that spouted off management groomed responses. All you see is that all BNY working people are excited and thrilled with the direction of the company. Then Eliza somehow determined that people agree with the direction of management and our mission. Lastly, people felt the top level communication was very informative and appropriate.
Let that sink in and ask yourself, does anyone believe this speaks for the majority of people working here? Anyone?
It’s now official. Eliza is a lying BS tool that truly is artificial ‘intelligentsia’ at BNY’s elite management level. Not intelligence at all.

How many of us will be replaced by AI in the next few years?

https://fortune.com/2025/11/12/next-level-leadership-cisco-leaning-on-recruitment-upskilling-staff-ai-era/

Reports that Verizon leadership had denied mass closings are false. I work closely with Global Real Estate. We have stopped renewing some Retail leases about a year ago in preparation for mass closings. This will equate to about 2/3 stores per district being closed. Verizon wants out of the expensive in-person experience and move to AI. By 2030 all retail will be shifted to an app.

I wish everyone here the best.

Rumors of Verizon's Store Closures and
Layoffs Have Employees Worried
Rumors of Verizon store closures and layoffs are making the rounds. The Verizon layoffs this month could continue to heighten tech industry woes, leaving many to fend for themselves in an unstable job market. So
far, Verizon hasn’t confirmed major job cuts for the rest of 2025, butemployees continue to speculate about the possibilities.
Verizon’s rumored store closures and layoffs may take shape by Nov. 20,but the uncertainty among employees continues to mount as they clamor for updates.
Verizon Store Closures and Layoffs Expected: RumorsHave Employees on the Edge of Their SeatsVerizon is reportedly planning store closures around November 20, cutting
down on the number of its operations. Less profitable outlets are expected to be affected, indicating a direct effect on its employees, but.workers could also be laid off at the remaining open locations. The details
remain unconfirmed, with no updates on just how many stores and.employees could be affected by the change.The rumors suggest that, in addition to Verizon’s store closures and layoffs, the company may expand its AI automation services to address.gaps in its business resulting from the planned store closures. Rumors of.Verizon’s cost-cutting store closures and reorganizations of jobs have primarily emerged from platforms like Reddit and TheLayoffs, where employees have begun to consider the potential impact on their roles..Reports from platforms like The Street and Phone Arena have also begun
discussing the strategy..An email from the new CEO, Dan Schulman, last month also hinted at the possibility of change, speaking of “bold actions to make the company
leaner.” Such changes often include staff cuts, as we’ve seen from companies across the board this year.
Is AI to Blame for the Verizon Job Cuts Rumored in 2025?
Like most businesses, Verizon has also invested heavily in AI over the last
two years; however, it hasn’t yet made explicit changes to its headcount
as a result of this investment. A Verizon spokesperson reportedly told

TheStreet that its AI efforts were not part of a plan to reduce its workforce
numbers or linked to any layoff plans, but the rumors continue to mount.
Many suggest that the company could use AI to bridge any gaps in its
workforce following the Verizon store closures and layoffs, and this could
specifically affect customer service roles. There has been considerable
back-and-forth between businesses attempting to automate customer service with the technology,.and customers biting back, restating their preference for human
interactions over unempathetic AI services.
Verizon’s AI initiatives already include a business AI assistant and a similar AI shopping assistant, with its Project 624 services promising an improvement in quality across services. These innocuous uses of AI
showcase the myriad ways in which the technology has been employed across businesses, but most have come at the cost of some human labor.
The Lack of Information Has Employees Turning to Leaks onVerizon’s Workforce ReductionsOver the last few days, internal concerns and reports suggesting a
November 20 announcement date have employees looking online for information on what’s to come. Unfortunately for them, most of the chatter online is mere speculation, leaving them with very little concrete
information to go on. From questions about who is likely to get laid off first to others about the validity of employee benefits once employees are laid off, the stress and concern among workers are apparent.
While layoffs are difficult to conduct regardless of how well they are planned, such uncertainty is rarely healthy for an organization to allow. All.business decisions are rarely made after consulting and informing each employee, but the lack of any communication or intimation leaves workers
stressed, anxious, and unable to perform. Resentment towards supposed
DEI hires and anger about overseas operationshave escalated, and this rise of negative feelings is hard to undo, even
months after the layoffs are well and truly done.Verizon’s store closures and layoffs appear to be a.certainty as the company hasn’t explicitly denied the rumors, but matters might be more complex than these initial reports will have us believe.
The delays have left workers critical of everything from the company’s business model to the new.CEO’s ability to lead, and such chaos is rarely ideal for operations.
Whether Verizon confirms the major job cuts for 2025 or denies the.strategy remains to be seen, but for a business to be productive,
communication and transparency remain paramount.

Nothing is working
People are leaving
Robots are malfunction
Human are loveless
Id--ts are rising
AI more stupid
Intel is sinking
Stock will crash
Layoff is still going
Hiring is freezing up
Money is still printing
No food to eat
No water to drink
Only banana to eat
And coffee to drink

The next days are going to be bad. I cannot wait to see the forward looking projections lies about AI revenue

Intel's CTO and AI chief leaves for OpenAI after just seven months in role — follows another AI data center exec out the door, Lip Bu-Tan to take up the slack | Tom's Hardware https://share.google/N8vbWxNr8o0YGrv59

https://substack.com/inbox/post/178568795

We don’t expect additional layoffs /RIFs until (at the earliest) 2nd or 3rd week of February 2026, if needed. Of course, if the (holiday) event doesn’t go as planned, we could see something before FY2025 ends. After that, we’ll see the normal herd thinning happen as a result of the calibration cycle. Managers and directors will decide who they like and who they don’t like, and those will get low evaluations and be part of the yearly purge that happens sometime in the March to May timeframe.

There is some reason to believe Walmart will cut numerous associates in 2nd and 3rd quarter of FY2026 due to AI being able to assume responsibility for tasks and processes that are repeatable and stable.

We’d encourage you to review Doug’s comments on AI and it’s adoption inside Walmart.

Further, we don’t foresee any reductions at the stores or DCs. Transportation is probably ok.

We’d encourage all associates to speak to their direct managers about their current performance and listen to the answer carefully.

Cisco is jumping on the 2025 "AI-washing" bandwagon and will cut legacy roles and hire specialists. Total predicted: 8,500 jobs cut with severance of 6 months + stock vesting acceleration

Why?
The internal AI enshitification is in full bloom (employees realizing AI is bollocks)
Cisco's partner event last week was a wake up call (thoroghly underwhelming. Full of vapourware. snoozefest)

Cisco is pushing for a $2B annual cost savings amid AI restructuring.
the rumors are for 2,000-3,000 job cuts but a real possibility of 10% slash of their 85K headcount (8,500 jobs cut)

The numbers are looking weak.
FY25 revenue stagnated at $56.65B (flat YoY), with networking down 5% despite 6% product growth. At average of $200K total comp/person (salary + benefits) an 8,500 gutting would yield $1.7B in savings. This aligns with 2024 12% (9K) trim that boosted margins 2pts

EPS guidance signals a ton of pressure. Deeper cuts fund $1B+ AI capex while offsetting tariff risks.

which shall it be? 3k or 8.5k?

Today’s townhall was informative. It was made crystal clear that globalization and AI will continue to be the major priority/strategy of Optum.

Additionally, I found it ironic that they mentioned the concern of staff in Ireland, India, and the Philippines sometimes feeling left out, but no mention of the concern of workers in the United States related to continuous layoffs. I’m sure those in America being laid off feel way more left out.

If AI is supposed to replace mundane, everyday tasks then why wouldn’t we reduce GP headcount further? Some of these GPs do not add any strategic value, they seldom make critical decisions and don’t have the competency to lead the people through 2030. We can cut further cost to fund the 2030 ambition and still attain sound input through AI.

Android Authority (link below)

Rumors suggest Verizon will announce layoffs and store closures around November 20, though details remain unconfirmed. The company reportedly plans to shut down less-profitable stores and cut staff across remaining locations, while expanding AI automation to fill the gaps. It’s unclear if other big changes will be announced around this time, though it’s possible that there’s more to this coming shift than just layoffs.
Last week, I wrote an opinion about the current state of Verizon, as well as some of the moves it might need to make to right the ship. I also mentioned it seemed obvious that store closures would be part of this process and that Verizon’s situation would likely get worse before it got better. It seems this may be happening sooner rather than later, as rumors of imminent closures are flying around on online communities like Reddit and The Layoff. Likewise, a few publications have also picked up on the rumors, such as Phone Arena.

First, it’s important to be clear about this: none of the people I spoke to had specific details, only reports from their managers suggesting layoffs are on the way and likely to be announced on November 20. These cuts will reportedly include both complete store closures and staff reductions in locations that remain open. I also learned of an internal email from the new CEO late last month stating that the company will take “bold actions to make the company leaner,” which was similar to the remarks made during the company’s last earnings call. Like the previous call, the email offered no specifics.

From what little has surfaced, Verizon is expected to close underperforming corporate locations while “optimizing” those that stay open. The total number of affected stores remains unknown. There are also rumors that AI automation will play a larger role in the surviving stores, allowing them to operate with smaller staffs. For those unaware, this sounds somewhat similar to T-Mobile’s recent in-store changes that rely on T-Life.

Verizon has already embraced AI, so this part of the rumor isn’t all that surprising.

Earlier this summer, the company unveiled Project 624, an overhaul of its customer service using AI to streamline the experience. It also introduced an automated shopping tool that attempted to upsell me during a recent line addition for my son. Based on that, I’m skeptical that AI-driven retail changes will do anything other than accelerate the decline of Verizon’s brick-and-mortar business.

Further changes beyond closures and automation are possible, but we’ll have to wait until later in the month to know more. It’s also important to remember this is all rumor for now, and is subject to change.

https://www.androidauthority.com/verizon-shutting-down-stores-3613951/
Joe Maring / Android Authority

Many MDs will disappear from Outlook in the next 3 to 4 weeks, Sr Managers tooooooooooooo, this will be the last celebration for this year by "J" and J is going on vacation to celebrate her AI Certifcation and she will start mowing the rest of the Sr Employees (weeds) from 2nd week of Jan 2026

https://www.androidauthority.com/verizon-shutting-down-stores-3613951/

• Rumors suggest Verizon will announce layoffs and store closures around November 20, though details remain unconfirmed.

• The company reportedly plans to shut down less-profitable stores and cut staff across remaining locations, while expanding AI automation to fill the gaps.

• It’s unclear if other big changes will be announced around this time, though it’s possible that there’s more to this coming shift than just layoffs.

In regards -

To the Labor market.

This is where Treasury (Bessent) and the Fed would be (Totally Wrong).

No amount of Fed cuts will keep the Unemployment rate from rising further.

This is due to (2) things -

AI promoting gains in productivity, and efficiency; reducing the need for employees over time (mainly in computer-driven jobs, including manufacturing (AI robots) in the future; this is where the Trump thesis is (Totally Wrong) in regards to bringing back manufacturing to the U.S. (employee-wise).

Risks to (rising) Inflation (to the Real consumer-driven (68% of GDP economy) over time increasing Stagflation - High Inflation - Low Growth.

The (Major Downside to AI) while it may lead to increased GDP growth.

AI does (not) pay Tax revenues (replacing Employees that (actually) do).

As the U.S. National debt (exponentially) keeps rising, now past $38.2 Trillion with Interest paid to outside Investors (U.S. based, Japan; China; etc.) of $969.0 Billion a year (almost a Trillion) by U.S. taxpayers; it becomes a (Much bigger) problem weighing on the Real consumer-driven (68% of GDP) U.S. economy (where there are (currently (7) debt Bubbles) at (record) levels.

The (7) Debt Bubbles (at record levels) are Household Debt, Housing, Credit Card, Automotive, Student Loan, and Stock purchase financing.

(All) of these (7) Debt Bubbles are in the Trillions and keep rising, with (Defaults) are an ever-growing problem over time.

A bunch of dev teams are getting hit hard, some seeing up to 50% redundancies. AI tools are apparently going to pick up the slack

Just the usual garbage from AK to justify current layoffs for future AI growth. If you believe that, you'll believe anything.

Link --> https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/ibm-ceo-fears-about-ai-bubble-are-overblown/vi-AA1Q10z2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=W099&cvid=690f13a0d8fb4402a6385eb77a6e774c&ei=14

They’re laying off the recruiters.

And if you’re not a recruiter like me and you’re not living and breathing on LinkedIn, you’re probably not seeing this.

But the majority of people that I’m seeing recently laid off are the recruiters. And you know what that means? That means they’re not hiring. We’re not hiring.

And they are going to tell you that it’s because this work is being replaced by AI. But we are not there yet, not collectively.

We still need recruiters and they’re being laid off in massive numbers. And I have not seen this since 2008 when things were really bad.

They are not hiring. They are firing recruiters. That is a very bad sign.

Bye.

https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-work-use-performance-reviews-1e8975df?mod=hp_lead_pos7

For those of you too cheap to pay the buck a week:

Julie Sweet, the chief executive of consulting giant Accenture ACN 1.83%increase; green up pointing triangle, recently delivered some tough news: Accenture is “exiting” employees who aren’t getting the hang of using AI at work.

The firm has trained about 70% of its roughly 779,000 employees in generative artificial-intelligence fundamentals, she told investors. But employees for whom “reskilling, based on our experience, is not a viable path” will be shown the door, Sweet said.

Rank-and-file employees across corporate America have grown worried over the past few years about being replaced by AI. Something else is happening now: AI is costing workers their jobs if their bosses believe they aren’t embracing the technology fast enough.

From professional-services firms to technology companies, employers are pushing their staffs to learn generative AI and integrate programs like ChatGPT, Gemini or customized company-specific tools into their work. They’re sometimes using sticks rather than carrots. Anyone deemed untrainable or seen as dragging their feet risks being weeded out of hiring processes, marked down in performance reviews or laid off.

Companies are putting their workers on notice about their AI skills amid a wave of white-collar job cuts. Amazon.com announced layoffs last week that affected roughly 14,000 jobs, while Target recently shed 1,800 corporate roles. International Business Machines has also disclosed thousands of cuts. Executives at Amazon and IBM have tied workforce cuts to the technology in statements this year.

Julie Sweet, CEO and Chair of Accenture, speaking at CES 2025 in Las Vegas.
Accenture CEO Julie Sweet says the company is “exiting” employees who aren’t getting the hang of using AI. Overall, the company expects to increase head count in the 2026 fiscal year. Steve Marcus/Reuters
Some companies are training people in how to use the tools—but leaving it up to them to figure out what to use them for. There are countless possibilities for how to deploy AI. Some businesses have required training classes or set up help desks to coach employees on how to incorporate AI into their work. Others are putting the onus on staff to think creatively about how to make money or save time with the tech.

That can prompt exciting innovations—or it may come at the expense of getting work done. Or both.

At enterprise-software company IgniteTech, leaders required staff last year to devote 20% of their workweek to experimenting with AI. On one such “AI Monday,” staff brainstormed ways to speed up processes like automating responding to customer-service tickets. Employees also had to share on Slack and X what they were learning about AI.

CEO Eric Vaughan said that employees self-assessed their AI usage and, afterward, the company used ChatGPT to rank the results. After a human review, IgniteTech cut the lowest-scoring performers.

“By their own admission, they’re in the basement,” he said. “So now they have to leave.”

It wasn’t easy: Vaughan recalls speaking with his wife over that time about the changes, feeling “terrible.” But he said he felt AI was an existential threat, and that if IgniteTech didn’t transform, the company would die. One tough exit was the chief product officer, who had been with the company for years. He and others were model, productive employees historically but were resisting the AI mandate, said Vaughan, who also leads GFI Software and Khoros.

Eric Vaughan, CEO of IgniteTech, speaking at the FT AI Summit.
IgniteTech CEO Eric Vaughan required staff last year to devote 20% of their workweek to experimenting with AI. Ghelani Studios
Greg Coyle, that executive, said he had bought into AI’s potential to improve IgniteTech’s products and add new capabilities. But he took issue with the nature of the widespread cuts, particularly because the technology is in such an early stage.

“Doing this rapid culling of your workforce, it’s very risky,” he said. “If your AI plan doesn’t work out the way you expected it to, it’s a huge risk for the business.”

After a round of cuts, Coyle said he pushed back against an AI mandate in late 2023 in an executive meeting. He said he felt the company wasn’t working strategically as it pushed out staff. A few months later, he said, he was fired.

AI, Coyle said, is “coming whether we like it or not. You either get on board or you get left behind.” But, he added, “I don’t believe that you take this brute force, across-the-board approach to AI in the business.”

Vaughan said the company has since hired AI specialists to replace the laid-off staff. Accenture has said that it expects to increase headcount this fiscal year.

At workforces large and small, plenty of workers are hesitant to adopt AI, fearful that widespread adoption will innovate them out of a job. They also doubt the technology can do the job as well as they can.

Share of responses from U.S. workers who don't use AI tools when asked to select the main reason why not

A recent Gallup survey found that more than 40% of U.S. workers who don’t use AI say the main reason is they don’t believe it can help their work. A smaller share, 11%, said their primary driver was that they did not want to change how they worked. While AI adoption has grown in the past year, working Americans are about three times as likely to say they aren’t prepared at all for AI as opposed to “very prepared,” Gallup found.

Many employees, even when exposed to AI tools that companies spend a lot on, aren’t biting. When researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reviewed more than 300 AI initiatives, they found only 5% were achieving quantifiable value. Employees flock to tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft’s Copilot for their ease of use, but don’t often adopt other software.

A big impediment, the researchers found, is that many of those tools aren’t yet programmed to learn from users’ past interactions. That makes approaching a human colleague a better option for complex work. The best return on investment, the researchers found, has often been on back-office functions.

Prioritizing AI adopters
Companies are finding other ways to push staff to integrate AI into their work.

At McKinsey, analytic problem solving is at the heart of what consultants do. When that skill is measured in future performance reviews, consultants will be evaluated on how they make decisions with AI. Now, in assigning staff to some client projects, McKinsey gives priority to employees who are trained in AI, said Kate Smaje, a senior partner and global leader of technology and AI.

People in KPMG’s human-resources division are assessed on how well they collaborate with AI in their wider evaluations, the firm’s head of people said.

PwC is requiring AI training for its newest hires. It kicked off a nine-piece pilot curriculum for new-graduate associate hires in October, including lessons on “prompting with purpose,” designing workflows that include AI and instruction on how to use the tools responsibly.

And at a fall PwC all-partner meeting with thousands of attendees, working with the technology was part of the agenda. The multimillion dollar investment in AI training “will absolutely pay off,” said Margaret Burke, the firm’s head of recruiting and learning and development.

At Concentrix, a customer-service outsourcing company with more than 400,000 staff, bosses recently realized low-performing developers weren’t using AI.

“You find out those people are refusing to adjust,” said Ryan Peterson, Concentrix’s chief product officer.

Concentrix hired Peterson from Amazon in 2024 with a mandate to find ways to incorporate AI across the company. Its attorneys now use AI to redline new versions of contracts. The technology flags clauses that the company would never agree to in negotiations—like accepting unlimited liability, Peterson said. These efficiencies mean that Concentrix was able to redeploy 10 attorneys to higher-value negotiation work and litigation management.

Purchasing teams use the technology to compare requests for proposals, and marketing teams now use it to format and template emails, he said.

Concentrix’s CEO said in a June earnings call that he doesn’t foresee a “massive decrease” in employment, though he noted that declining head count is a possibility.

‘AI will, not just skill’
Multiverse, an education-tech company in London, states that its mission is to advance AI adoption. Each quarter, it awards an employee who has come up with the best uses for AI 10,000 pounds, or about $13,000. Finalists this quarter include the creator of a paperwork automation system that cut a 30-minute task to five minutes and someone who made a sales aide that creates a customized briefing based on publicly available information.

Job applicants at Multiverse are asked in interviews how they use AI in their lives, and in one assignment, prospective hires write prompts to complete certain tasks, said Libby Dangoor, who oversees the company’s human resources and AI among other areas. If applicants are skeptical of AI, it would be picked up in the application process, she said.

“We have to hire for AI will, not just skill,” she said.

LinkedIn job postings requiring AI literacy skills have expanded by 70% in the 12 months ended in July, according to the site.

Annie Hamburgen hiking in Torres Del Paine, Chile.
When Annie Hamburgen began a job search after an extended trip to South America this year, prospective employers kept asking her about AI. Annie Hamburgen
Annie Hamburgen, 28, of Incline Village, Nev., left her marketing job in March to travel in South America. When she came back and began looking for new work this summer, prospective employers kept asking her about AI. “I’ve been trying to demonstrate my openness to learning while making it clear that I’m not going to blindly type things in and accept whatever result comes out,” she said.

Hamburgen recently got hired for a role leading integrated marketing and starts on Monday. In conversations with her future boss, it’s been clear that she should be using AI to synthesize information. A common refrain: “Type it into Grok!”

Can’t wait to see that

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