Your manager is probably using AI to decide whether to promote or fire you
A simple shape turned the Coca-Cola logo into a timeless icon
McDonald's big announcement is a Spicy McMuffin and the return of the Snack Wrap: Both arrive this week
There's a reason your Sam's Club rotisserie chicken looks different
That's according to a June study from Resume Builder, which examined how managers are using artificial intelligence to make personnel decisions ranging from promotions and raises to layoffs and terminations. Of the 1,342 U.S. managers surveyed, a majority of them are using AI, at least in some part, to make decisions impacting employees: 64% of managers reported using AI tools at work, while 94% of those said their usage extended to decisions about direct reports.
For many managers, AI tools have already become central to the hiring process. According to Insight Global's '2025 AI in Hiring' report, 92% of hiring managers say they are using AI for screening résumés or prescreening interviews. Based on Resume Builder's new report, AI is now becoming an integral part of how managers interact with their employees—from the day they're hired until the day they're let go.
According to Resume Builder, managers are increasingly turning to AI for support with the day-to-day to-dos that come with supporting a team of employees.
Of those who reported using AI, 97% noted using it to create training materials, while 94% used it to build employee development plans, 91% used it to assess performance, and 88% used it to draft performance reviews. Beyond these daily tasks, though, some managers are turning to AI for help with higher-stakes decisions.
Per the study, 78% of managers who use AI have consulted it to determine raises, and 77% have used it for promotions. Meanwhile, a whopping 66% have put at least some stock in AI when deciding who should be laid off, and 64% have even turned to the tool for help with terminations.
When it comes to how much faith managers are actually putting in the decisions recommended by AI, the degree of trust appears to vary significantly.
While 24% of respondents said they sometimes let AI tools make decisions without human input, another 20% said they allowed AI to do so all the time or often. One in four managers reported that they'd actually replaced a direct report with AI. And, despite an increasing reliance on managerial use of AI tools, only one-third of the surveyed managers said they'd actually received official training on ethical AI use in the office.
'It's essential not to lose the 'people' in people management,' Stacie Haller, chief career advisor at Resume Builder, noted about this trend in a press release. 'While AI can support data-driven insights, it lacks context, empathy, and judgment. AI outcomes reflect the data it's given, which can be flawed, biased, or manipulated. Organizations have a responsibility to implement AI ethically to avoid legal liability, protect their culture, and maintain trust among employees.'
This post originally appeared at fastcompany.comSubscribe to get the Fast Company newsletter: http://fastcompany.com/newsletters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Financial Planners Share 4 Warren Buffett Tips To Take With a Grain of Salt
Warren Buffett is one of the most successful investors of all time. His long-term success, consistent returns, and timeless advice have inspired millions of investors. But while many of his investing principles are sound, they aren't always suitable for everyday investors. Read More: Try This: GOBankingRates spoke to financial planners to share Buffett's investing tips to take with a grain of salt. Here's where they recommend taking Buffett's advice with caution and why your financial plan may need a different approach. 'Never Invest in a Business You Cannot Understand' This sounds like no-brainer advice. But here's what many people miss: Buffett's investment decisions come from extensive due diligence, something that everyday investors don't have the time and tools to replicate. 'While it sounds like common sense, the challenge is that Buffett has access to deep research, management insights, and analytical resources that most individuals simply don't,' said Eric Blake, founder of Blake Wealth Management. 'The average investor doesn't have the time or tools to analyze a company's balance sheet, competitive moat or management quality in the way Buffett does.' 'It's Far Better To Buy a Wonderful Company at a Fair Price Than a Fair Company at a Wonderful Price' Buffett's focus on quality makes sense. But again, identifying 'wonderful' companies requires deep research and a strong understanding of the stock market. Most average investors don't have the time and experience to value companies. Trying to replicate Buffett's advice could lead to costly mistakes. For this reason, index funds often make more sense. 'That's why many of our clients — especially women who are retired, divorced, or widowed — should likely prioritize simplicity, transparency, and diversification through professionally managed portfolios and index-based strategies over picking individual stocks,' added Blake. 'Just Do Index Funds' Even Buffett's most democratized advice, 'just do index funds,' needs careful consideration. 'Many people cannot handle the volatility associated with the S&P 500 index,' said Jeremy Finger, founder of Riverbend Wealth Management. 'I was down 55%-plus in the 2008-'09 crash. Down 49% in 2000-2002. Down markets can be especially devastating if you are withdrawing money for retirement.' 'Not everyone has the emotional investing stability that Mr. Buffett has. Even if they think they do, many sell when it is down and hope to get back in later.' This emotional selling destroys long-term returns faster than any market crash. 'Only Buy Something That You'd Be Perfectly Happy To Hold If the Market Shut Down for 10 Years' While investors should always think long-term, not everyone can afford to wait a decade to see returns. 'Most of our clients can't afford to think in purely decades-long terms when they also have short-term spending needs or rely on their portfolio for retirement income,' Blake added. This is why many financial planners apply the '5-year rule.' If you'll need to spend the money within the next five years, it probably doesn't belong in the stock market. 'Buffett's advice is powerful, but context always matters. What works for a legendary investor managing billions with a 100-year view isn't always what works for someone planning the next 20-30 years of retirement, especially when that income needs to be reliable, tax-efficient and personalized,' Blake noted. More From GOBankingRates Clever Ways To Save Money That Actually Work in 2025 This article originally appeared on Financial Planners Share 4 Warren Buffett Tips To Take With a Grain of Salt Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Uncertain economic times? That means it's gold's time to shine
What's it worth: From Costco gold bars to pots of gold That's enough for more than 1 billion Olympic gold medals, which are actually primarily made of silver, and about 750,000 pots of gold waiting at the end of every rainbow. Or you'd have to spend $694 billion at Costco on its 1-ounce gold bars, although the $3,410 bar is out of stock. Value of reserves rises and falls with price of gold The price of gold fluctuates, but as of July 2025, the market value of all the gold stored in the New York Federal Reserve vault could be estimated somewhere between $470 billion and $680 billion, depending on the market price of gold, which hit a record high this year. Who owns all the gold in the Fed's stockpile? But none of that gold belongs to the Fed, and most of it isn't American. In 2021, the U.S. Treasury Department reported it only stores about 13.4 million fine troy ounces – about 416 metric tons – there. The rest belongs to foreign governments, other central banks, and official international organizations, who trust the Fed to keep it locked away 80 feet below street level. Golden opportunity for a heist movie? Where is the world's gold stored? The United States stores gold in other places, too. The largest American-owned gold stockpile is at Fort Knox in Kentucky, which houses about 147.3 million fine troy ounces of gold – about 4,583 metric tons. Other countries, including Germany, Italy, and France, also have large gold reserves. More: Trump wants lower interest rates. Will the Fed make cuts? Live updates Why people still like gold Beyond its shine, some investors, central banks, and governments view gold as an attractive asset that inspires confidence, even in uncertain times. 'It's historical money. It goes back several millennia as original money,' said Aakash Doshi, the global head of gold strategy at State Street Investment Management. 'It goes back to biblical times. It was one of the gifts from the three wise men.' While today gold isn't used as a large-scale payment method, it's a highly liquid asset with no particular credit risk and is not directly controlled by any central bank, according to Joe Cavatoni, the senior market strategist for the Americas for the World Gold Council. Some investors still view it as 'real' money – something that can't be printed – and a hedge against market and economic volatility. 'Gold performs in good times as well as in the bad times,' Cavatoni said. Why gold demand surged While the dollar or the euro isn't going away anytime soon, Doshi said the demand for real hard assets that complement fiat currency rose over the last few decades as global debt and governments' share of that debt has increased. In 2024, gold overtook the euro as the second-largest global reserve asset after the U.S. dollar, according to a June European Central Bank report. Doshi listed the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S.-China trade war, shifting trade alliances like the rearrangement of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and expanded sanctions as forces driving some central banks' increased interest in gold, as they seek stability amid economic shocks and geopolitical tension. Cavatoni said that rating agencies' recent downgrades to the U.S. government's creditworthiness and the risks that come with holding treasuries are also likely on people's minds, adding that a lot of the increased demand is coming from emerging market central banks. Gold price jumped since the start of 2024 He said gold is valued higher when market risk is unclear and uncertainty is high, adding, 'that's kind of the world we're living in now.' 'When you think about their absolute level of holdings, they are still very low relative to the percentage of total reserves. And I think that there's still an opportunity for them to continue to grow,' Cavatoni said. 'But I think we're seeing in our second quarter data and other sound bites that they're definitely paying close attention to what the performance is going to look like.' Reach out to Rachel Barber at rbarber@ and follow her on X @rachelbarber_ Illustrations by Veronica Bravo This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: In uncertain economic times, that means it's gold's time to shine Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
12 Midwest Cities Where Rent Costs 30% or Less of a Middle-Class Income
Plenty of financial experts both past and present insist that you should never put more than 30% of your income toward rent. This once was not a terribly tough rule to live by, but now, with costs of living and, specifically, costs of housing soaring across the U.S. (and wages not keeping up), spending only 30% of your income on housing is just not realistic for many. Not even close. A 2024 Redfin study found that more than 20% of Americans are spending their entire paychecks on rent. Check Out: Try This: But there are some cities, including in the Midwest, where folks in the bottom percentile of middle-class earners can spend 30% or less of their income on average local rent. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in the Midwest to find those where rent costs less than 30% of the minimum household income required to be middle class. Take a look at the top 12, where the middle class have the most money remaining after covering rent. 12. Powell, Ohio Average rent, monthly: $2,479 Average rent, annually: $29,746 Minimum middle class income, annually: $127,500 30% of the minimum middle class income: $38,250 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $8,504 11. Northville, Michigan Average rent, monthly: $1,672 Average rent, annually: $20,061 Minimum middle class income, annually: $95,917 30% of the minimum middle class income: $28,775 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $8,714 Explore More: 10. Carlisle, Iowa Average rent, monthly: $825 Average rent, annually: $9,900 Minimum middle class income, annually: $65,555 30% of the minimum middle class income: $19,667 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $9,767 9. Zionsville, Indiana Average rent, monthly: $1,705 Average rent, annually: $20,455 Minimum middle class income, annually: $106,084 30% of the minimum middle class income: $31,825 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $11,370 8. Leawood, Kansas Average rent, monthly: $2,046 Average rent, annually: $24,548 Minimum middle class income, annually: $123,317 30% of the minimum middle class income: $36,995 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $12,447 7. Parkville, Missouri Average rent, monthly: $1,750 Average rent, annually: $20,998 Minimum middle class income, annually: $113,863 30% of the minimum middle class income: $34,159 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $13,161 6. Bloomfield Hills, Michigan Average rent, monthly: Average rent, annually: Minimum middle class income, annually: 30% of the minimum middle class income: Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: 5. Winnetka, Illinois Average rent, monthly: $1,825 Average rent, annually: $21,900 Minimum middle class income, annually: $128,547 30% of the minimum middle class income: $38,564 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $16,664 4. Victoria, Minnesota Average rent, monthly: $1,988 Average rent, annually: $23,858 Minimum middle class income, annually: $137,157 30% of the minimum middle class income: $41,147 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $17,289 3. Lake Bluff, Illinois Average rent, monthly: Average rent, annually: Minimum middle class income, annually: 30% of the minimum middle class income: Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: 2. Ladue, Missouri Average rent, monthly: $2,362 Average rent, annually: $28,340 Minimum middle class income, annually: $166,667 30% of the minimum middle class income: $50,000 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $21,660 1. New Albany, Ohio Average rent, monthly: $1,753 Average rent, annually: $21,035 Minimum middle class income, annually: $155,016 30% of the minimum middle class income: $46,505 Leftover savings after 30% of income pays rent: $25,469 Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in the Midwest to find the cities where rent costs less than 30% of the middle class household income. The average rent cost was sourced from Zillow Observed Rental Index for June 2025. Pew Research Center defines middle class income as two-thirds to double the median household income. Using the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the median household income for cities was sourced and used to calculate the middle class income range. Using the finance rule that states that housing costs should cost under 30% of household income, the minimum middle class income threshold was used to calculate the average 30% of household income in each city. The cities with leftover savings after 30% of income covers all of the rent were kept for this study. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces. Using the average expenditure costs for all households, as sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all households, the average expenditure costs can be calculated for each city. Using the average expenditure costs and rental costs, the average total cost of living for renters was calculated for each city. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes and included as supplemental information. The cities were sorted to show the largest leftover savings after 30% of household income covers the cost of rent. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jul. 22, 2025. More From GOBankingRates Mark Cuban Warns of 'Red Rural Recession' -- 4 States That Could Get Hit Hard How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Your State? 9 Downsizing Tips for the Middle Class To Save on Monthly Expenses This article originally appeared on 12 Midwest Cities Where Rent Costs 30% or Less of a Middle-Class Income
