Bolt CEO scrapped HR department as company scaled down to 100 employees; talent software CEO argues human resources management is more critical than ever in the AI era

Bolt cofounder Ryan Breslow eliminated the HR team after returning to CEO role, as the fintech firm contracted from a $11 billion valuation in 2022 to approximately $300 million and reduced headcount from 2,500 to around 100 people.

Cornerstone OnDemand CEO Himanshu Palsule launched an agentic platform (a system using AI to autonomously assist with tasks) that helps assess, train, and mobilize employees, arguing that strong people management remains essential because 'if you lose your people, those agents aren't doing anything in your company—they're just creating chaos.'

Palsule emphasized that while AI automates routine work, uniquely human skills such as judgment, inference, and product-building judgment will not disappear, and that leaders must communicate clearly with employees about job changes and reductions in force rather than hiding from them.