05-06-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

AI can make work more meaningful

Companies should capitalize on the efficiencies AI offers to change how people experience their work.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

As a CEO operating within the global supply chain—where every purchase is tied to efforts to end forced and child labor—I think often about what work is for: not just making it faster, but making it matter.

That’s what makes the latest Gallup findings on AI so striking. The headline insight isn’t productivity. It’s something more revealing: We’re becoming more efficient, but not more engaged.

Employees say AI is making them more productive, yet global employee engagement has declined for two consecutive years, now sitting at just 20%. We’re optimizing how work gets done, but for many people, we’re eroding the experience of doing it. That gap is a failure of intention, while many mistakenly think it’s related to technology.

AI is reshaping how work happens, reducing friction across writing, analysis, operations, and decision-making. In our own business, we look for people who lean into AI. It signals curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to evolve.

We’re equally deliberate about how we use it. AI helps automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and surface better information. It saves time, reduces........

© Fast Company