IBM

IBM is one of the most aggressive enterprise AI adopters among large technology companies, operating as an 'AI First' organization with its watsonx platform, Granite foundation models, and AI governance products at the center of its commercial strategy. Internally, IBM has publicly acknowledged using AI to automate back-office functions — including approximately 200 HR roles replaced by AI agents and a broader restructuring cited as enabled by AI-driven workflow redesign — representing a circumstantial-to-evidenced causal link between AI adoption and workforce reduction. IBM maintains an extensive public AI ethics and governance framework, including an AI Ethics Board and published responsible AI principles, which is broadly consistent with its stated approach, though critics note the simultaneous layoffs of thousands while tripling entry-level hiring raises questions about the net human impact.