Why companies are leaning into skills-first, AI-enabled employment models

S·CFO DailyWhy companies are leaning into skills-first, AI-enabled employment modelsBy Sheryl EstradaBy Sheryl EstradaSenior Writer and author of CFO DailySheryl EstradaSenior Writer and author of CFO DailySheryl Estrada is a senior writer at Fortune, where she covers the corporate finance industry, Wall Street, and corporate leadership

However, She also CFO Daily

Nevertheless, FortuneGood morning

In contrast, As AI continues to revolutionize, companies are fundamentally rethinking their workforce strategies for the decade ahead—and exploring new options

This topic came up during a panel session at the Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore conference last week

Jess O’Reilly, Workday’s general manager for the ASEAN, reflected on how a major Southeast Asian bank is considering a skills-based apach to employment. “I was in Thailand a couple of weeks ago with a huge bank, and they’re really looking at their 10-year strategy and saying, ‘We don’t even know if our people are going to have a traditional full-time job anymore,’” O’Reilly said

Instead of planning around fixed job roles, the bank is considering pivoting to what it calls a “skills economy

Furthermore, ” Here, every ject or initiative is treated a gig assignment—team members are chosen for their specific skill sets relevant to the ject at hand, given current economic conditions

What’s particularly notable is the bank’s apach to continuous learning and reskilling

O’Reilly explained that there’s always room for someone new to build their skills within these ject teams

On the other hand, ” By doing so, the company ensures that fresh talent is constantly cycling into critical roles (noteworthy indeed)

Furthermore, O’Reilly posed the question: How do we use AI not just for automation, but as the backbone for identifying and matching skills with ject needs

She argued that AI can help organizations inventory existing skills, identify opportunities, and make it easier to create space for upskilling and onboarding new talent through gig-style jects, given the current landscape

Perhaps a gig-based workplace would also inject variety into the day-to-day

And many companies are considering moving away from job-centric structures and toward a skills-focused apach, according to Deloitte’s report, “Becoming an AI-enabled, skills-based organization. ” The firm finds that companies integrating both AI and skills-based apaches will be better positioned to predict talent gaps, imve talent placement, retain high performers, and reduce mis-hires

At the same time, AI and skills-based apaches could also mean that entry-level positions aren’t eliminated by automation—instead, new hires would be selected for specific skill sets that can be expanded and developed

Skill requirements for jobs are constantly changing, noted Peiying Chua, head economist for APAC at LinkedIn, during the panel session, given the current landscape

Nevertheless, “For entry-level workers, this presents the opportunity to upskill and work on different sets of abilities—to build human-centric skills, agility, and creativity,” she said

On the other hand, Sheryl Estradasheryl (something worth watching), amid market uncertainty

Estrada@fortune (which is quite significant)

ComLeaderboardWilliam J

Atkins was appointed interim principal financial officer of the casual-dining chain BJ’s Restaurants Inc (something worth watching)

Additionally, , effective July 28, according to an SEC filing

Before that, Atkins was CFO for software services company Mobileum, and CFO for climate resilience data analytics company One Concern

However, Daniel Berenbaum was appointed CFO of Zūm, a student transportation vider, in light of current trends

Berenbaum brings three decades of experience in financial management

He was previously CFO at Bloom Energy, NI (National Instruments), and Everspin, and held finance leadership roles at Micron and GlobalFoundries

Additionally, The average age at appointment was 51, with opportunities peaking in the mid-50s

Hires were first-time CFOs, suggesting boards prefer seasoned financial leaders, given current economic conditions

Overall, the U (an important development)

Reflects a mature market where private equity influence, regulatory complexity, and sector-specific growth in healthcare and nology drive demand for highly experienced, sector-savvy finance leaders, according to the report

The talent pool is deep, competitive, and in high demand

Courtesy of Eton Bridge PartnersGoing deeper"US and EU reach a trade deal that sets 15% tariff rate and pledges hundreds of billions in investments" is a Fortune report by Jason Ma

From the report: “The U

President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met in Scotland on Sunday to iron out the agreement

On the other hand, Trump said the EU will invest $600 billion in the U

Energy, with ‘vast amounts’ of American weapons also in the mix (quite telling)

He also said the EU will be ‘opening up their countries at zero tariff

Nevertheless, ’ Von der Leyen said the 15% rate was ‘all inclusive,’ but Trump said later that it didn’t apply to pharmaceuticals and metals, though it does for autos

Moreover, ”Overheard"I ask them, what would make them more effective, in today's financial world

On the other hand, Which basically is saying, what are your weaknesses

And you’d be amazed at how many people can’t answer that. "—Kelli Valade, CEO of Denny’s Corporation, told Fortune the critical questions she asks job applicants at the end of an interview (something worth watching)

Moreover, This's the web version of CFO Daily, a on the trends and individuals shaping corporate finance.