Work 2.0: The Podcast

AI Hiring Tops 1M Jobs & Brings 118% Salary Surge, With PwC's Chief AI Officer Dan Priest, Ep. #35

In this episode, Rachel Wells sits down with Dan Priest, Chief AI Officer at PwC, about the newly released AI Jobs Barometer 2026 and what it means for graduates, leaders, HR teams, and high-achieving professionals. What you’ll hear: * Why AI-exposed roles are growing and paying more: AI-skilled jobs show an average wage premium of 62%, with some industries seeing premiums as high as 118%. * Rapid demand for AI skills: job postings requiring AI skills rose 66% year-on-year. * Where the growth is happening: healthcare, professional services, financial services and consumer markets are leading the way — and manufacturing is catching up (a ~14% uptick in AI/developer roles). * How wages are shifting: many AI-exposed roles are seeing wage growth (some categories around ~20%), even as entry-level hiring dynamics change. * The “U‑shaped” labor market: why high- and low-exposure jobs are moving the most, while middle-skill roles lag. * What early-career professionals and leaders should do: rethink hiring, invest in apprenticeship-style training, and focus talent on growth and innovation agendas. Why listen: If you hire, lead, mentor graduates, or are charting your own career path, this episode breaks down where opportunity and risk live in the AI era. Practical advice on skills, hiring, and where to invest in AI talent. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe [https://therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Josh Bersin + Rachel Wells Explain: Will AI Cut HR Teams 50% Before 2030? Ep. #34

Join Rachel Wells on Work 2.0 on this early-released episode as she chats with renowned HR analyst and podcaster Josh Bersin [https://substack.com/profile/290184918-josh-bersin] about how artificial intelligence will reshape HR by 2030. Josh explains why HR headcount could shrink 30–50% for administrative roles as AI and “super-agents” automate record-keeping, scheduling, and training authoring — while strategic HR work expands from ~30% to 75%. Rachel and Josh discuss practical guidance on: * Reimagining processes instead of simply automating old workflows * How HR can move from compliance-heavy work to enabling dynamic teams and company growth * The role of domain-specific AI like Galileo in plugging into company data to deliver manager-level insights, skills comparisons, and performance recommendations * Reskilling pathways for HR professionals to move into coaching, AI supervision, and business-partner roles This episode is a must-listen for HR leaders, managers, and founders, offering actionable ideas to start simplifying recruiting, L&D, and performance workflows today and build a people-first strategy for 2030. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe [https://therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Meet the Chief HX Officer Replacing HR, With KeyAnna Schmiedl (Workhuman), Ep. #33

Rachel Wells takes Work 2.0 on the road! In this episode, Rachel Wells chats with KeyAnna Schmiedl, Chief Human Experience Officer at Workhuman, about how leaders can preserve trust and human connection as AI reshapes work. KeyAnna explains why transparency, compassionate listening, and humility are non-negotiable leadership behaviors right now, and why HR (or People/Experience teams) must be given the appropriate resources to experiment and guide organizations through technological change. We dig into the biggest risks of rushed AI adoption, how honest communication about job impact builds trust (and enables innovation), and why flatter, more collaborative org structures will become essential as work becomes more fluid. If you want practical thinking about protecting culture while adapting to AI, this episode is for you. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe [https://therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Netflix's Ryan Serhant + Rachel Wells Talk AI, Talent Attraction, and the "Attention Economy," Ep. #32

In this episode, Rachel Wells sits down with Ryan Serhant (Million-Dollar Listing, Owning Manhattan star, and founder & CEO of SERHANT.) after his SXSW London talk to unpack why “attention is the product,” how founders can become media companies, and what AI really means for teams and salespeople. Ryan explains how he turned real estate into a scalable media asset, the thinking behind his proprietary AI assistant S.MPLE, and practical approaches to hiring, culture, and retaining top talent in a rapidly changing workforce. What you’ll hear: * Why every business is a media company, whether you like it or not * Ryan’s AI-native OS that automates admin so agents spend more time selling. * Ryan’s hiring philosophy: people join for opportunity and stay for results; give autonomy, clear expectations, and room to grow. * Common CEO mistakes in AI adoption Listen if you want actionable thinking on media-led growth, practical AI adoption for revenue teams, and how to build an innovative culture that attracts future-ready talent. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe [https://therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Who Wins When White-Collar Jobs Get Pushed Below The Algorithm? With Sangeet Paul Choudary, Ep. #31

What actually happens when AI doesn’t just automate tasks, but reorganizes how work is coordinated, who holds power inside organizations, and which roles remain economically defensible? In this episode, Rachel Wells discusses with Sangeet Paul Choudary — author of Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Stacks the Knowledge Economy — how work is being redesigned and “reshuffled” in the AI era, and who holds ultimate control. You’ll hear: * How AI shifts skill premiums from people into tools and platforms * The “below the algorithm” risk: when expert judgment is absorbed by models * How to capture new value and stay entrepreneurial in a rapidly-evolving AI-centered world Who should listen * Leaders redesigning orgs and teams * People in knowledge work who are worried about role value and career strategy * Strategists, product managers, and HR/people ops leaders exploring practical AI adoption Order Sangeet’s book, Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Stacks the Knowledge Economy [https://reshufflebook.com/]. 🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, and more. Don’t forget to rate, review, and share this episode with a co-worker or friend. Get full access to Work 2.0 at therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe [https://therealrachelwells.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]