AI is no longer just a sci-fi fantasy, it’s literally changing the workplaces right now. Companies started using AI to automate operations and save money, leading to many employees struggling with the changes or sadly losing their job. However, it’s also creating job opportunities that require a new set of skills. In this article, we highlight nine major companies using AI in their workplace and explore how it’s affecting their employees.
1. The Washington Post: Journalists Teaming Up With AI
The Washington Post is using AI not to replace their journalists but to help them. Last year, their staff posted about AI being everywhere in their newsroom and even launched the “Ask the Post AI” tool that allows readers to get a summary of their older articles. They aim to speed up the news production and cover more stories by letting AI take on menial tasks like transcribing interviews and analyzing data, while still letting the employees fact-check and make final content decisions.
2. Google: Layoffs and a Shift Toward AI Automation
In 2024 and early 2025, Google made some job cuts as part of a big shift toward using more AI tools. They reduced staff in teams that handle sales, partnerships, and products like Android and Pixel. The idea is to focus on developing and enhancing AI technology such as their Gemini AI and cloud AI services to ensure that their products are smarter and faster. These changes brought by their AI development would eventually improve customer service, increase ad sales, and other operations of Google.
3. Amazon: AI Streamlines Warehousing and Customer Service
Over the years, Amazon has automated many of their operations and increasingly leaned more into AI. In 2023, they introduced an upgraded version of their Sequoia AI to speed up the sorting and packing process of packages. These tools assist in processing millions of orders every day and free up space for employees to perform higher-skill tasks, and Amazon is pouring billions of dollars into the growth of these AI-based systems hoping to set new standards in warehouse productivity and customer service.
4. Ikea: From Call Centers to Interior Design Advisors
Ikea came up with a smart way to use AI that helps both customers and employees. In 2021, Ikea trained 8,500 call center employees to work from home as interior design advisors and assist customers in creating beautiful spaces for their home. They also used an AI chatbot called Billie who took care of basic inquiries like order status and delivery concerns. Billie works 24/7 and processes almost half of all customer requests, improving Ikea’s customer service and giving employees time to focus on their creative work.
5. Comcast: Using AI to Help Customers and Advertisers
Comcast’s improving their customer service and advertising by using AI in smart ways. Their AI chatbots will answer frequently asked questions, while their customer service agents have an AI assistant that assists them in providing answers in the chat, making handling customers faster. Comcast also teamed up with Waymark to create an AI platform that helps small businesses make TV commercials quickly and affordable. This tool can scan a business’s website and automatically create ads that can be customized easily.
6. Salesforce: Layoffs Amid an AI Hiring Boom
In 2024, Salesforce cut over 1,000 jobs as part of a big shift toward AI. About 700 employees were let go in January, with more layoffs following later in the year. At the same time, the company hired many employees for AI-related roles, especially to support their new AI platform called Agentforce. CEO Marc Benioff commented that AI helped make companies work more efficiently, and that changed how they hire and organize teams. This let them invite workers that were affected by the layoffs to apply for other jobs within Salesforce.
7. Duolingo: Contractors Replaced as AI Takes Over Content
Duolingo, the popular language app, made big changes in early 2024 by laying off about 10% of their contract workers. The company started using AI tools to create most of their learning content instead of relying on people. CEO Luis von Ahn said this shift to an “AI-first” approach helps Duolingo grow faster and create new courses quickly. While AI sometimes makes small mistakes, it lets the company reach more learners much faster than before. Duolingo is also using AI to help with hiring and reviewing employees, and they’re training workers to take on new roles as AI handles more tasks.
8. IBM: AI Replaces Back-Office and HR Roles
IBM is using AI to change office work, especially in HR and admin roles. In 2023, IBM’s CEO said the company would pause hiring for jobs that AI can handle and anticipates that over the next five years, 7,800 of these jobs will be automated and done by AI. IBM is investing massively in AI tools that would automate mundane tasks, enhance IT processes and minimize hands-on work, making work faster and efficient. While some jobs might go away, AI can also support workers to do more significant and creative tasks.
9. Best Buy: Job Cuts and a New AI Venture
Best Buy faced tough times in 2023, and had to lay off many employees to keep the company stable. Sadly, these job cuts affected roles like ‘Geek Squad agents’ and phone support staff. In the middle of these layoffs, Best Buy collaborated with Google Cloud and Accenture to launch new AI tools. These AI virtual assistants and tech support systems are fast to respond to customer queries and provide them with personalized assistance. The AI tools fill the gaps left by fewer workers and improve the shopping experience. Best Buy says this technology helps customers get better service, showing how AI is changing retail for the better.