In this issue:

What happens when your next boss isn’t human?

In boardrooms once ruled by instinct, ego, and endless PowerPoints, a quiet revolution is underway. Algorithms now whisper in the ears of executives — or, in some cases, take the chair themselves. CEOs are listening. Some are even stepping aside.

“The Rise of the Robo-CEO” is a four-part series uncovering how AI is infiltrating the top floors of power — not in science fiction, but right now. From boardroom experiments in China to AI getting voting rights in venture capital firms, this isn't a glimpse into the future. It's a peek behind the curtain of the present.

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The HR Blotter

By 2030, bosses are betting on microchipped employees to streamline access and extra tracking—but most HR pros call it intrusive snake oil, and 11 U.S. states already bans on the idea. Implanting chips isn’t a futuristic perk—it’s a privacy train wreck waiting to happen, and you better believe watchdogs are circling.

Cheating starts early and never stops — a massive 59% of high school students admit to cheating, and college isn’t any better with 75–98% confessing to some form of academic dishonesty. Whether it’s paper mills, contract cheating, AI-generated essays, or good old-fashioned copying, our education system is fueling a cheating epidemic—and nobody’s training the teachers to slam on the brakes. Are these future employees coming soon to your workplace?

"Quiet quitting isn’t some Zen work-life choice—it’s a neon sign flashing burnout and disengagement, and HR knows it. Employees might look calm on the surface, but underneath they’re tuning out, turning down effort, and silently checking out—leave it unchecked and you’re building a silent exodus."

Psychedelics are moving from counterculture taboo to HR talking point—hundreds of companies are betting on psilocybin and LSD to reboot minds, cut burnout, and get people back to work. But if management doesn’t research how to handle the cost, stigma, and workplace reintegration of post-trip employees, this breakthrough could crash hard before it even lifts off. Ummm… whoa. And, groovy.

Digital detox days aren’t just feel‑good fluff—they’re exploding worker productivity (+82%), slashing anxiety and burnout, and forging real team bonds, face-to-face vibes and all. Companies that ditch the screen noise—think Buffer, Basecamp and Nokia—aren’t losing time, they’re reclaiming it: calmer, sharper employees who actually stick around.

Biophilic design isn’t décor—it’s a wellness weapon, flooding offices with natural light, greenery, wood textures, and even water to kill stress, sharpen focus, and spark creativity. It doesn’t just make workspaces prettier—it rebuilds human energy, boosts mood, and traps talent with environments that feel alive, not like a cubicle farm.

AI is slashing through corporate wellness like a scalpel—tracking wearables, chatbots, and predictive tools to catch stress and health issues before they tank productivity, with ROI and engagement skyrocketing. But it’s not all sunshine—privacy leaks, algorithmic bias, and data misuse lurk in the code, so you better have airtight security, transparency, and human oversight—or the whole thing blows up.

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Part 1: The Rise of the "Robo-CEO": Fact vs. Fiction

The boardroom. Polished mahogany, hushed voices, the scent of ambition and stale coffee. For decades, it’s been the inner sanctum, where human minds wrestle with markets, strategy, and the messy business of people. Now, picture it empty. Just screens. Dashboards flickering with data. Decisions made in milliseconds, without a single human hand.

Sounds like sci-fi, right? A fever dream. But the quiet hum of artificial intelligence, it’s already in the room. Not as a full-blown robot CEO, not yet. But AI’s shadow stretches long over the corner office. It’s a creeping influence, a subtle shift in power. This is the first drop in a four-part series, pulling back the curtain on AI’s ascent in corporate power, from the top floor to the factory floor.

The Siren Song of the Algorithm

Why the push for AI at the top? Simple. Speed. Data. No hangovers. No ego. Imagine a leader who crunches every market signal, every consumer whim, every supply chain hiccup, all at once. A leader who never sleeps, never blinks. Investors, boards, they see the glint of efficiency. The promise of pure, unvarnished objectivity. A machine, free from the messy human biases that gum up the works.

It’s a seductive idea. So seductive, in fact, that many human CEOs are already drinking the Kool-Aid. A recent global survey found that 94% of CEOs believe AI could offer better counsel than a human board member. Eighty-nine percent say AI can develop a stronger strategic plan than some of their own executives. Half of them even figured AI could replace three or four members of their executive team for strategic planning purposes. That’s not just trust. That’s a vote of no confidence in the old guard.

AI in the Corner Office: The Raw Truth

So, are companies actually run by robots? Not in the way Hollywood sells it. Not yet. AI, for now, is mostly a co-pilot. A powerful tool, sure, but the human still has the stick. Still, some outfits are pushing the envelope, testing the waters. Or maybe, just maybe, chasing a headline.

Take NetDragon Websoft in China. In 2022, they named "Tang Yu" their "rotating CEO" of the company’s subsidiary Fujian NetDragon. Tang Yu is an AI-powered virtual humanoid robot designed to assist in decision-making and efficiency improvements. Then there’s DeepKnowledge Ventures in Hong Kong. Back in 2014, an AI algorithm named "VITAL" was appointed to their board. VITAL’s gig was to analyze data and vote on investment decisions. This was one of the first instances of an AI having a formal corporate governance role.

Finland’s Tietoevry, they ran a test project in 2018. An AI was used to simulate decision-making in board meetings. The AI analyzed risks and suggested strategies, though it was not a full replacement for human executives.

And don’t forget about Sophia the Robot, Hanson Robotics’ creation, she’s been trotted out as the first non-human "Innovation Ambassador" for the United Nations Development Programme. More show than substance, but it gets people talking.

Why do they do it? Part of it’s branding. Many of these cases are PR stunts to highlight a company’s tech-forward approach. Part of it’s genuinely testing the waters, seeing what these machines can actually do. Some AI "CEOs" are actually data-driven tools that assist human executives. A few firms test AI’s ability to analyze risks and optimize strategies. It’s an experiment, playing out in real-time.

The CEO’s New Grind

The game’s changing. Fast. Knowing AI, understanding its guts, its limits – that’s becoming a must-have for anyone eyeing the top job. Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, admits that AI might replace him one day.

And while he half-jokingly entertained the idea of being replaced by an AI himself — “I hope so,” he said with a laugh — Benioff emphasized that "values" must remain central to how companies implement this technology. 

Oboy.

That’s it for now. This is just the start. AI’s reach stretches far beyond the executive suite. It’s already digging its claws into the daily grind, managing the very people who make the wheels turn. Next up, we pull back the curtain and analyze what I call - The Invisible Hand. (dun-dun-dunnnn)

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The Fine Print

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One more thing before I go…

I’m planning on producing a webinar for job seekers because its needed. If I do, will you come or refer someone over who needs to learn innovative job hunting techniques? In case you are curious, here is a sample of what you can expect. Click here to see the tool I discuss in the video in action.

And as always, hit reply and let me know how I’m doing. Or slide into my DMs as the kids say. All good.

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