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On April 10, 2026, six industry leaders came to Leeds to discuss “Shaping the AI Ready Professional.”

As artificial intelligence reshapes how work gets done—and how talent is hired—today’s students are entering a job market defined by rapid change. On April 10, six industry leaders came to Leeds for the school’s second AI Industry Roundtable, with this one focused on “Shaping the AI‑Ready Professional.” Faculty, staff and students gathered to hear candid insights on what AI’s acceleration means for business and for anyone preparing to enter the workforce.

Organized by Leeds faculty members Jeremiah Contreras, Bonnie Auslander and Özlem Tuba Koç, the event was part of the school’s broader efforts to help the Leeds community not just understand AI’s expanding role across the business landscape, but also to learn how to work effectively alongside it.

Across industries and roles, the panelists agreed on two central points: AI literacy is no longer optional—it's a baseline expectation. And the pace of change is only increasing. As Nick Manuzak (Bus’12), entrepreneur in residence at CU Venture Partners and vice president of internal consulting at Axos Bank, put it, “AI is accelerating at an enormous rate.”

Career readiness on day one

Leeds is keeping pace with that acceleration, said Michael Leeds (Fin’74), Leeds Advisory Board member and the business school’s namesake, who opened the discussion.

“Leeds has been growing and strengthening in so many areas, and AI is actually accelerating what we’re doing,” he said. “It’s a matter of how we do business today, and our students have the advantage of being able to study and use AI.” He added that Leeds is intentionally exploring how to prepare students so that “on day one when they go to work, they are truly prepared—and employers are thrilled to have them there.”

“AI is accelerating what we’re doing at Leeds. It’s a matter of how we do business today, and our students have the advantage of being able to study and use AI.”

—Mike Leeds (Fin’74)

That emphasis on readiness reflects what panelists described as a professional reality. Alicia Hines (MBA’18), director of customer success at Knit, said AI is already deeply embedded in her daily work.

“I use AI all day every day,” she said. “AI is baked into our product and our ways of working, and our clients come to us because many of them have a mandate to do more innovative research—using more innovative tools—to do more with less.” To put the “mind-bending” pace into perspective, she said her company releases new features every two weeks.

Going all in

Godard Abel, founder and CEO of G2, described a similar urgency. His company helps organizations determine which AI tools best suit their needs.��

“We’re going all in,” Abel said. “Things are changing so fast, and it is automating knowledge work. I tell employees we don’t have a choice.”��

Still, Abel emphasized that AI remains a tool rather than a replacement for human judgment. “As with any technology, it can be used for good or evil,” he said. “Humans still do the work of having compassion, communicating with each other—that is what AI can’t and won’t do.”��

Sherry Comes, a ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ alumna and an AI leader at PwC, echoed that framing. “I try to elevate the human experience using digital technology,” she said, positioning AI as a way to amplify—not diminish—human capability.��

Matt Rettagliata of Google introduced another dimension, pointing to the environmental realities behind AI adoption. “AI uses a lot of power and water,” he said. He works to ensure that companies are applying AI responsibly and ethically. “The question," he said, "is how do we make sure the intelligence produces a dividend?”��

Where humans still stand out

While AI excels at speed, pattern recognition and instruction-following, panelists noted its limitations.

In her role, Hines explained, human judgment is what forges negotiations, conversations and trust. “If you are just letting AI do all the work, then what is the value you provide?”

That value lies in perspective. “AI has expedited getting me to those first drafts,” Hines said. “But then I put in my special sauce. I don’t feel comfortable letting AI run without my point of view.”

Jobs, displacement and learning by doing

Concerns about vanishing jobs surfaced throughout the discussion. “Everyone is really worried about the job compression,” Rettagliata said. “But what’s being overlooked is that AI can improve outcomes, and employees still need to understand process to get the best results.”

AI systems still depend on humans to set context, he explained. His advice to students was straightforward: “Be really good at something. Find something you like, learn it, walk the line, do the job, and understand how it works.”

Erik Jensen, a partner at KPMG US, described AI less as a replacement than as a displacement tool. While hiring models are shifting, he said his firm continues to invest in campus recruiting rather than relying on lateral hiring from other professional services firms.��

AI, he suggested, is reshaping the traditional hiring pyramid. Rather than a broad base of entry-level roles supporting layers of management, he sees that base flattening—less an elimination of work than a redistribution of it.

“Let’s repurpose, reskill and retain workers” he said, shfiting from that traditional pyramid to “the Washington Monument.”

The impact of that shift, he noted, may be felt most acutely outside the United States. Historically, the wide base of the pyramid often relied on lower-wage labor in other countries. “Those are the jobs I worry about,” he said. While U.S. workers are likely to see reskilling opportunities, he urged organizations to think more collaboratively about the global workforce.��

Across the panel, the emphasis was consistent: learning does not stop at graduation. “The key thing people need to be is agile," Comes said.��

Entry level isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving

Ellie Gates, assistant teaching professor of organizational leadership and information analytics, asked the panel to respond to predictions of a 20% decline in entry-level roles, the ones where graduates typically explore, learn and grow. The panelists’ perspective was notably optimistic.

Abel said his company continues to value interns and early career hires, particularly because younger workers are often more fluent with emerging AI tools. Hiring, panelists agreed, is still driven by curiosity, adaptability and a willingness to learn.

From a hiring standpoint, Comes put it succinctly. “I hire more for attitude rather than aptitude,” she said. “What you learn today probably doesn’t matter tomorrow. It’s why you learn it.”

“I hire more for attitude rather than aptitude. What you learn today probably doesn’t matter tomorrow. It’s why you learn it.

—Sherry Comes

Hines underscored that human presence remains a differentiator. “The way that you network, the way that you present in your interviews, the way that you are perceived by your clients—that is going to continue to be a differentiator.”

Manuzak added, “When you’re up against a lot of competition,” he said, “the differentiator is how you show you can use AI. Show usage, not just the potential for usage.”

The panelists said that experiential learning, internships, hackathons, and case competitions all demonstrate an ability to solve real-world problems—and those are a hallmark of a Leeds education.

Both Abel and Rettagliata said they encourage their college-age children to engage with AI rather than shy away from it. “If you’re skeptical of something,” Rettagliata said, “don’t allow your amygdala to hijack that. Be curious. Try to understand what’s happening.”

He captured a sentiment shared across the roundtable: “It’s more important to ask the right questions than to have the right answers.”