AI is getting blamed for layoffs it may not actually be causing. So what happens when fear moves faster than the technology?

Victoria Pelletier joins Alyssa Nolte to challenge the idea that companies are already replacing huge parts of their workforce with AI. Her take: many leaders are using AI as cover for cuts they needed to make anyway. The bigger risk may be what that story does to trust inside a company.

Alyssa and Victoria talk about what AI can really do today, why companies need better AI governance, and how leaders can help employees prepare for the changes ahead. They also explore why human skills like creativity, empathy, problem-solving, and relationship building may become even more valuable as AI improves.

If you are trying to figure out what AI means for your job, your team, or your customers, this conversation offers a much more useful answer than "AI is coming for everyone." It is about rethinking how humans and AI work together...and how leaders can build trust while doing it.

3 Key Takeaways

1. AI may not be the real reason behind many layoffs. Victoria argues that most companies are not using AI at enough scale to explain major workforce cuts. In many cases, AI may simply be the easier story to tell.
2. AI adoption requires more than buying a tool. Companies need clear guardrails, data governance, employee training, and honest communication about how AI will change people's work.
3. Human skills may become even more valuable. Creativity, empathy, problem-solving, relationships, and good judgment are harder to automate. Learning AI matters, but so does getting better at the things humans do best.

People and Resources Mentioned

• Victoria Pelletier victoria-peltier.com
• Leadership Transition Guide by Victoria Pelletier
• Influence Unleashed by Victoria Pelletier
• Influence Activated by Victoria Pelletier
• Mo Gawdat Former Chief Business Officer of Google X and guest on The Diary of a CEO
• Scott Galloway
• World Economic Forum skills research

Follow Alyssa Nolte

• alyssanolte.substack.com
• linkedin.com/in/alyssanolte