Samwise High Tech Recruiting Newsletter
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Visa Cuts 7% of Workforce as AI Reshapes Payments Company
Visa announced on July 28, 2026, that it is eliminating approximately 2,600 jobs, or 7% of its global workforce, in an efficiency push driven significantly by artificial intelligence. The cuts target the company’s technology and product operations, according to CNBC and Bloomberg. CEO Ryan McInerney cited AI as reshaping how work gets done at Visa, while a source with direct knowledge said AI was a significant but not sole driver. Visa expects to save $29 million to $32 million from the reductions, with restructuring costs primarily in its third fiscal quarter. The company plans to reinvest in growth areas including cross-border payments and business remittances.
AI Eliminates Customer Service Roles at Microsoft, Uber, and CBA
Major corporations including Microsoft, Uber, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia are deploying automated chat and phone systems to replace customer service staff, with Bloomberg reporting on July 28, 2026, that AI has begun eliminating sizable portions of call center operations across multiple industries. Uber cut 10% of its customer service workforce, citing what it called an embrace of AI. Microsoft and Hyatt Hotels have made similar moves. The Bloomberg report notes that some companies have already wiped out thousands of human customer service roles. The trend underscores a broader workforce shift as AI adoption accelerates in service functions historically considered safe from automation.
Sources: Bloomberg
Over 1,100 AI Workers Sign Letter Calling for Slowed Pace of AI Development
More than 1,100 employees across nearly a dozen major artificial intelligence firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Meta, signed an open letter on July 28, 2026, calling on the U.S. government to support an international effort to develop technical and governance tools needed to deliberately pace AI development. Bloomberg and TechCrunch both reported the letter, with TechCrunch noting that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed readiness to support deceleration measures. The petition asks policymakers to help prevent AI from advancing faster than safety and oversight frameworks can manage. The coordinated employee action represents a rare instance of AI workforce members publicly advocating for restraint in their own industry.
Sources: Bloomberg, TechCrunch
SHRM Linkage Appoints Carolynn Johnson as Acting CEO
SHRM Linkage, the leadership development subsidiary of the Society for Human Resource Management, appointed Carolynn Johnson as Acting CEO effective immediately, SHRM announced on July 28, 2026. Johnson continues as president of SHRM’s Center for Inclusion and Diversity while taking on the additional role. She brings more than two decades of executive leadership experience in business strategy, organizational transformation, and commercial growth. Before joining SHRM, she served as CEO of Fair360, formerly DiversityInc, where she advised Fortune 500 CEOs, CHROs, and corporate boards on leadership strategy and organizational performance. SHRM said the appointment comes as organizations increasingly prioritize both culture and leadership readiness.
Sources: SHRM
ADP Promotes Roberto Masiero to Chief AI Officer to Lead Compliant AI Deployment
Payroll and HR technology giant ADP has promoted Roberto Masiero to chief AI officer, tasking him with guiding the company’s AI deployment under strict compliance constraints, InformationWeek reported on July 28, 2026. Masiero, who previously led the ADP Innovation Lab, said AI in payroll must be fully deterministic and cannot hallucinate. ADP is exploring AI to help clients create job descriptions and optimize workforce scheduling, while using AI internally to accelerate software development. ADP engineers have AI-assisted coding tools, with some writing no code at all, instead describing requirements and letting AI implement them. ADP Mobile, born in the innovation lab, now serves more than 20 million users.
Sources: InformationWeek
Curated by JD · samwise.agency