Session briefing brought to you by:

Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson

CEO Editor

The economic headlines suggest that employers have the upper hand once more in the world’s largest labor markets. The supply of hirable workers is not as tight as it became during the Covid-19 pandemic, and employees who already have a job are less likely to leave it when they’re worried that AI and automation will make it harder to find a better one. Yet many of the world’s leading executives worry that they lack the skills they need for their companies to thrive in an economy that is being reshaped by demographic and technological change. 

That concern is not just about getting office workers comfortable with AI agents: CEOs like Ford’s Jim Farley have been looking for more policy support for trade schools and apprenticeships to bolster “essential economy” sectors like manufacturing and construction. Barbara Humpton, the former Siemens USA CEO who now runs USA Rare Earth, has similarly suggested that governments could offer tax advantages to employers who invest in training.
But they and other executives are not waiting for legislators to solve the skills problem for them. The CEO’s role, in the words of Pearson’s Omar Abbosh, is becoming that of “chief of learning and development.” Workforce education has become a leadership priority because “you have to bring your people with you,” he says – and CEOs know better than most how to “meet people where they are at work.” 

AI can assist in this process, Automation Anywhere’s Mihir Shukla has noted as he explained how each of his employees now gets individual career development plans uniquely suited to their skillsets. Being proactive about assessing your employees and training them for the workforce of tomorrow can quell their anxieties about AI ruining their careers, as ServiceNow’s Bill McDermott told Semafor. His advice? “Do it. Don’t talk about it.”

Tim Walsh

Chair & CEO,

KPMG LLP

We need a candid view of how AI is reshaping the workforce and the C-suite agenda in a world where
uncertainty is baseline. KPMG’s 2026 KPMG U.S. CEO Outlook Pulse Survey shows the tension: CEOs
are confident in their companies and industries, but less certain about U.S. and global growth. Leaders
aren’t pulling back; they’re pressing ahead with AI investments and dealmaking because agility is how
you navigate volatility.

AI spend is no longer discretionary, it’s a requirement. The era of pilots as proof points is over. AI is
accelerating innovation, giving CEOs more agility to navigate uncertainty and seize opportunities in the
market. Today, long-term AI investments are driving near-term solutions to operational challenges.
Organizations that win will be the first to industrialize AI to change operating and business models,
services and products, decision velocity, and resilience. That means embedding agents as trusted
teammates, hardwiring governance, and treating cyber resilience as a prerequisite because scaling AI
increases both opportunity and risk.

While AI adoption is high, AI-driven value is lagging. CEOs are competing for technical talent even as they deploy agents and upskill teams. Many acknowledge they haven’t fully redefined roles or career
paths to reflect AI’s impact. The gap between deploying AI and redesigning how the organization works
and provides value to its customers is where leadership will either create advantage or fall behind.
The real opportunity is using AI to create space for better judgment, stronger relationships, and deeper
impact and growth. AI can do the processing. What differentiates organizations is how people can use the
technology. If we get that balance right, AI won’t make our work less human: it will elevate the importance
of human judgment, trust, and connection.