Returning to work in an ai-driven era

Ashley Wallace, Praktika’s head of talent, returned to work after six months of maternity leave to find her role transformed by AI. During her absence, the company adopted Claude Cowork, an AI system she was unfamiliar with. AI has also drastically changed the hiring process, with over 1,000 candidates now applying for roles instead of the usual few hundred. Wallace notes that many applicants struggle to answer basic questions, suspecting they used AI to pad their applications. According to recent surveys, nearly half of workers say their companies have adopted AI, up from 38% last fall. PwC reports that 64% of workers used AI this year, a 10% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, paid leave has become more common, but returning workers often face rapidly evolving job roles. Max Cherry, a public relations professional, found that AI had become an integral part of his workflow, requiring him to adapt his habits.