06-22-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

Separate fact from fiction: AI and the future of work

Leaders and staff members need to learn the best ways to incorporate AI into the workflow.

[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.

At the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA), we enable high-level women to mentor each other to achieve personal and professional success through sisterhood. As the nonprofit organization’s founder, chair, and CEO, I am honored to share insights from thought leaders who are part of our peer-to-peer mentoring community.

This month I introduce Shelly Ashwill, who has over three decades of leadership experience with Verizon and HCLTech. She led large global B2B organizations and is passionate about coaching and employee development as AI reshapes workforce norms.

Q: What is AI’s impact on the current workforce regarding job losses or growth?

Shelly Ashwill: AI is impacting today’s workforce, and the speed and scale of change are remarkable. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the tech industry reportedly laid off 80,000 workers globally, with about half of those layoffs linked to AI or automation. Goldman Sachs economists estimate AI is reducing U.S. payroll growth by around 16,000 jobs monthly in AI-exposed industries.

Those numbers attract attention—but they only tell part of the story. According to the World Economic Forum, AI will affect 92 million jobs globally by 2030. However 170 million new........

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