"Humans in the Lead": CEOs Warn Against AI-Driven Headcount Reduction at 2026 Summit

At the Best of American Business Celebration, top leadership and philanthropists emphasized a "radical" vision of keeping humans in the lead of AI automation rather than just "in the loop." Speakers warned that using AI primarily to reduce headcount reflects a "lack of imagination" and called for public-private partnerships to rebuild the social safety net as the technology disrupts traditional workforce structures and income models.