Each week, as SHRM’s executive in residence for AI+HI, I scour the media landscape to bring you expert summaries of the biggest artificial intelligence headlines — and what they mean for you and your business.
The shine is starting to wear off the “AI-first” label …
1. Going ‘AI-First’ Appears to Be Backfiring on Klarna and Duolingo
What to Know:
Klarna and Duolingo, early adopters of “AI-first” strategies, are facing pushback. Klarna is reversing course and launching a new hiring spree after its AI rollout reportedly degraded service quality. Duolingo faces social media backlash over its decision to replace contractors with AI — even as its stock hits all-time highs.
Why It Matters:
These cases show the brand and trust risks of rushing into AI-led restructuring without human-centered design. AI-first strategies may win on cost, but without buy-in from workers and customers, they risk causing long-term reputational damage. The future of work must balance automation with human connection.
And in China, the transformation isn’t theoretical — it’s industrial policy.
2. China’s AI-Powered Humanoid Robots Aim to Transform Manufacturing
What to Know:
China is accelerating investment in AI-powered humanoid robots to tackle labor shortages, trade tensions, and demographic decline. Backed by $20 billion in subsidies and a planned $137 billion AI fund, startups like AgiBot are deploying robots for factory tasks. Homegrown models such as DeepSeek are enabling rapid AI advancement, and China now controls 90% of robot hardware supply. Costs could drop to $17,000 per unit by 2030.
Why It Matters:
This is a full-scale workforce redefinition. Expect global ripple effects — especially for low-preference roles. HR leaders must prepare for human-machine collaboration, policy shifts (including AI-related unemployment), and accelerated role redesign.
But despite the hype, real labor market effects remain elusive.
3. Large Language Models, Small Labor Market Effects
What to Know:
A large-scale Danish study covering 25,000 workers across 11 AI-exposed occupations found that chatbot adoption — despite widespread use and company investment — had no measurable effect on wages or hours worked. AI tools created new tasks but offered only modest time savings (~3%). There was no significant wage pass-through. The research used quasi-experimental methods and ruled out impacts larger than 1%.
Why It Matters:
This study challenges assumptions that AI adoption equals productivity or labor disruption. Without structural change — such as job redesign and clear output expectations — AI tools mostly add complexity.
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