PepsiCo's Chief People Officer says the company prioritizes hustle, curiosity, and human intuition in hiring as AI transforms work

Becky Schmitt, PepsiCo's chief people officer, stated that the company's hiring 'secret sauce' centers on employees who have hustle, problem-solving ability, internal fortitude, and curiosity—traits she emphasized at Fortune's Workplace Innovation Summit.

PepsiCo is emphasizing human-centric design in its AI transformation, aiming to make jobs safer, more productive, and attractive while keeping workers informed about technology rollouts, rather than automating decisions without employee input.

Seven of the top 10 skills on the rise last year were soft skills—including conflict mitigation, adaptability, and public speaking—according to a 2025 LinkedIn report cited in the article, as technical tasks increasingly fall to AI tools.