CEOs Must Stop Downplaying AI's Impact on Workers, Executive Search Firm Warns
Business leaders are misleading employees by claiming artificial intelligence won't affect their jobs, according to Bryan Ackermann, head of AI strategy and transformation at executive search firm Korn Ferry.
Ackermann said the impact will be particularly severe for workers at both ends of their careers-those early in their professional lives and those nearing retirement.
His warning cuts against the reassuring messaging many executives have adopted. Companies often tell staff that AI will augment rather than replace human work, a framing that sidesteps the real disruption ahead.
What leaders should do instead
Ackermann's advice to business and people leaders is straightforward: be honest about the changes coming.
This approach requires acknowledging which roles will shrink, which will shift, and where retraining might help. It also means being clear about timelines and who faces the greatest risk.
Early-career workers may struggle to build expertise before their entry-level roles disappear. Late-career workers face barriers to retraining and fewer years to recover from displacement.
Why this matters for strategy
Executives who set workforce strategy face a choice between transparency and temporary morale. Candor now allows organizations to plan transitions, invest in reskilling programs, and manage attrition deliberately rather than reactively.
Deception creates a credibility gap. When employees discover their leaders minimized AI's impact, trust erodes-along with retention of the talent companies most need to keep.
For more on how organizations can navigate workforce change, see our guides on AI for Executives & Strategy and AI for Human Resources.
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