CEOs Are Quietly Choosing AI Over Jobs. What You Need to Know.

By Len Ward | Managing Partner, Commexis
(Insights based on reporting from The Information)

The shift is happening faster than most realize.

Across industries — from PayPal to Shopify to Citigroup — CEOs are quietly pivoting toward AI-driven operations and shrinking headcount as a result.

According to The Information, companies are:

Halting hiring unless a role cannot be automated
Letting AI handle customer service, sales development, cybersecurity, and more
Preparing for economic uncertainty by scaling with technology instead of people

In some cases, companies have cut thousands of jobs while quietly investing in AI to maintain or grow operations.

The pattern is clear:

If the work can be put in a box — written down as a set of rules — AI will likely handle it soon.
Roles in HR, customer support, sales development, basic IT, and even junior engineering are already being automated.
Recessions — or even the threat of one — will accelerate this adoption.

This is not a slow roll. This is an inflection point.

Why it matters:

If you are a business leader, this trend directly impacts:

Talent strategy: hiring freezes, restructuring, rethinking entry-level roles
Operational costs: pressure to use AI to drive margin improvements
Competitive positioning: companies using AI to double productivity are creating a cost advantage that will be difficult to match later

Simply put, those who integrate AI early will widen the gap. Those who delay will struggle to catch up.

What you should be thinking about now:

Audit roles and workflows: Where could AI tools already make an impact?
Start small but start now: Test AI in customer service, lead generation, and internal support.
Upskill teams: Identify roles that can move from execution to oversight, strategy, or customer experience.
Focus on outcomes: Shift from “hours worked” to “results achieved” — internally and with vendors.
Plan for the optics: Quiet layoffs and restructuring are delicate. Internal communication matters as much as external.

A word of caution:

Ignoring this shift — especially if you are in marketing, customer service, or IT — is not a neutral act. It is an active decision to fall behind.

This is not about replacing people for the sake of it.
It is about building a more resilient, efficient business that can weather economic shifts and scale sustainably.