Leaders advocate for a ‘Manhattan Project’ and public-private solutions regarding AI and labor

• In today’s CEO Daily: Diane Brady rounds up key takeaways from an event hosted by Just Capital, where leaders talked through approaches to navigating the AI transition.
• The big leadership story: A low-key backlash is building against the Walton family, Walmart’s heirs who reshaped the retail giant’s hometown.
• The markets: Performance is mixed heading into Good Friday and the Easter holiday weekend.
• Plus: All the latest updates and office watercooler talking points from .

(SeaPRwire) –   Good morning. Most leaders I speak with admit that AI could trigger a talent and employment crisis, at least in the near term. The core question is how to cut down on negative impacts as much as possible while expanding opportunities for shared prosperity. There has been no shortage of headlines about AI-driven layoffs, a shortage of entry-level positions, and ongoing demographic and immigration crises. Ford CEO Jim Farley has noted a widespread lack of skilled electricians. (BlackRock may be able to help address this gap.)

But there is also strong enthusiasm around reskilling initiatives, reimagined job roles, and the inherent resilience of the U.S. economy. Strategies for managing the AI transition were the dominant topic of discussion at this week’s “Best of American Business” celebration gathering hosted by Just Capital, a nonprofit set up in 2014 by hedge fund manager Paul Tudor Jones II to drive private-sector action on major societal challenges.

All discussions at the event followed the Chatham House Rule, which means I can share key insights from the talks without naming specific speakers, as well as present new data on consumer attitudes toward AI.

“We need a Manhattan Project focused on labor.” That is what one CEO told me is required to steer the AI transition smoothly. During World War II, facing the threat that Nazi Germany would develop a nuclear weapon first, the U.S. led a large-scale allied effort to win the nuclear development race. Today, the U.S. is competing against China in the tech race, creating pressure to roll out AI at a speed that could destabilize society if too many workers are left behind. This leader argued that the public and private sectors must collaborate to build workable solutions. The pace and scope of AI-driven transformation is accelerating at a moment when the country is deeply divided over education, social entitlements, and the role of government.

Consumers like AI, up to a limit. Just Capital published a new survey of 2,012 U.S. adults showing that consumers’ optimism about AI’s benefits in healthcare, education, and engineering is greater than their worries about workforce disruption and environmental harm. Even so, they expect companies to protect their personal data, keep humans in control of AI systems, and prevent the technology from causing harm, spreading deception, or being used for manipulation. Per the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, the most trusted institution to carry out these safeguards is not the government or philanthropic groups, but private businesses. People trust their employers even when they have little faith in most other institutions. But they are also frustrated. As Edelman CEO Richard Edelman stated in Davos, there is “a sense that time is running out.”

Beware of growing public pushback. The people leading AI development have not yet earned much public trust when it comes to prioritizing the public good. Some promote the idea of an AI-driven utopia, while others are openly straightforward about coming widespread job losses, and both groups appear unaware that most people do not want to live in a world without work. This disconnect comes alongside rising CEO pay and widening income gaps, at a time when consumers are also dealing with higher gas prices and increasingly unaffordable housing. The transformative power and productivity gains brought by AI are becoming impossible to deny. But prosperity cannot be sustained if large groups of people have no way to benefit from these advances. This is a business challenge that all stakeholders need to solve.

To get in touch with CEO Daily, reach out to Diane Brady at diane.brady@.com.