Anthropic, OpenAI, PepsiCo: This Week's Top Five HR Stories

Anthropic and OpenAI CEOs Reverse AI Job Warnings

Two leading AI executives have changed their predictions about automation's impact on workforce employment ahead of planned public listings.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, spent years warning that generative AI would eliminate white-collar jobs across multiple sectors. Both executives have now admitted their forecasts were incorrect.

The timing could be linked to impending initial public offerings for both companies in 2026. According to analysts, the change in messaging may reflect attempts to reassure institutional investors concerned about workforce disruption and the broader economic implications of widespread automation.

Threatening to displace workers does not align with the stable growth narrative that pension funds and asset managers typically require before committing capital to public listings. The shift in tone represents a significant departure from their previous public statements on AI's disruptive potential.

PepsiCo’s ‘Secret Sauce’ For Hiring and Retaining Talent

When it comes to hiring in the AI era, Becky Schmitt, Chief People Officer of PepsiCo, commented that the company is still interested in human skills. 

Discussing PepsiCo’s approach to finding top talent at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit, Becky noted there are “a couple things that are part of our secret sauce”. 

“I’m sure a lot of companies would say this, but our people have hustle,” she told attendees. “How do you solve problems? How do you have that internal fortitude to work through it? How are you curious? Are you always asking questions?”

Many businesses and leaders are also looking more closely at human skills as AI capabilities increase – such as Daniela Amodei, Co-Founder and President of Anthropic. 

In conversation with ABC News, Daniela said that she continues to believe “that humans plus AI together actually create more meaningful work, more challenging work, more interesting work, high productivity jobs”. 

“I think the ability to have critical thinking skills and learn how to interact with other people will be more important in the future, rather than less,” she continued. 

LVMH Appoints Agnès Pinel as CHRO for Beauty Division

LVMH has appointed Agnès Pinel as its new Chief Human Resources Officer of Parfums Christian Dior and LVMH Beauty Division, effective June 1. 

Currently Senior Vice President of Human Resources for Parfums Christian Dio, Agnès will retain oversight of human resources for this sector in her new role, while also expanding her scope to the LVMH Beauty Division. 

This will involve strengthening the consistency and effectiveness of the HR function across various fashion houses within the group, helping to support their transformation to encourage sustainable growth.

Commenting on her appointment, Véronique Courtois, President and CEO of Parfums Christian Dior and the LVMH Beauty Division, says: “It is with great pleasure that Agnès and I will continue our partnership at Parfums Christian Dior and now across the Division. I am convinced of her ability to orchestrate the necessary transformations. 

“Her in-depth cosmetics industry expertise and her knowledge of our talents represent a major strategic asset for our future.”

Campari Group Appoints New Chief Human Resources Officer

Elena Anfosso has been appointed Campari Group’s new Chief Human Resources Officer, effective in July 2026. 

She will be taking over from former Chief Human Resources Officer David Souperbiet, who left the company in November. 

Elena comments: “I am excited to join Campari Group, a company I always admired for its unique and distinctive culture. The Group’s strong legacy, iconic brands and clear ambitions for the future closely align with my own commitment to building people‑first organisations. 

“In this new role, I look forward to leveraging my experience to further strengthen Campari Group’s culture of innovation, inclusion and excellence, empowering teams to unlock their full potential.”

Fake Job Sites Targeting Tech Professionals, Says Unit 42

Recruitment portals have become a vehicle for cyber attacks.

Iranian hackers are using fake job postings to deploy malware against technology and engineering professionals across the US, Israel and UAE.

According to Palo Alto Networks' Unit 42, the threat group known as Screening Serpens deployed six new remote access Trojan variants between February and April 2026.

The group operates under several aliases including Smoke Sandstorm, Iranian Dream Job and UNC1549.

The attacks targeted organisations through personalised phishing that mimicked legitimate hiring processes. Additional entities across the Middle East may also have been affected, according to Unit 42 researchers.