Artificial intelligence tools are reshaping workplaces and what gets done inside them. Workplace technology experts and lawmakers are grappling with what extent job displacement might impact the future of work in the US and how or if to address it.

Policymakers and wonks gathered last week at an event hosted by Axios and TechNet in Washington, DC, to map out the impact of AI on the workplace, and the effects the technology may bring with it to the workforce.

“The introduction of any new technology forces us to adapt and to change, and AI is no different,” said John Sampson, head of US public policy at Workday. “We are not cynics about this. We do not believe that it is a threat. It amplifies the importance of the human role at work.”

Really a job killer? In 2023 Goldman Sachs reported an estimated 300 million jobs could be lost due to AI. An alarming figure no doubt, but the report also noted automation spurs innovation, which can lead to new, unknown types of jobs of the future. But rather than eliminating jobs outright, the consensus last week was that the technology is expected to augment human work, allowing employees to focus on tasks that require creativity and human interaction.

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President Trump addressed Congress for the first time on Tuesday night, and took a direct shot at DEI practices. But his claims were not in line with reality.

“We’ve ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion policies all across the entire federal government and indeed the private sector and our military and our country will be woke no more,” Trump said.

Yet, just one in four (24%) companies reduced their DEI efforts in 2024, according to a recent survey from the law firm, Littler. While dozens have backed off their DEI commitments over the last year, more companies—including Apple, LVMH, JPMorgan, and HP—appear to be staying the course.

What’s more uncertain is how companies will move forward with their DEI initiatives, and Trump appears to have some sway as to what will happen next. While 49% of C-suite executives told Littler they’re not considering “new or further” rollbacks as a direct result of Trump, 51% are considering changing their DEI policies or practices.

Keep reading here.—KP

What’s the secret sauce behind encouraging employee productivity?

Treating your employees the same way you treat your customers, according to Stephan Meier, a professor of business strategy at Columbia Business School and author of The Employee Advantage: How Putting Workers First Helps Business Thrive.

Meier shared with HR Brew what people pros can learn from his October book.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What can HR pros learn from your book?

Treating employees nicely, or treating them well, or putting them first, can actually be a way to create a competitive advantage…I want people to shift to see what are actually the benefits of treating our employees well, very much so in an analog to how we thought about customer centricity. Being very customer-centric led to competitive advantage for firms who were able to do so. So, I [want] people to take away that we can do the same with employees…Employees are the new customers.

Keep reading here.—MC