Some companies cut thousands of roles. Others are hiring for jobs that didn't exist a year ago. A few are doing both at once.

Same technology. Eight different bets.

This report works through eight AI cases from 2022 to 2025: Klarna, IBM, Shopify, Duolingo, Salesforce, Amazon, Accenture, and Deloitte. What each company announced, what actually happened afterward, and what the decision cost or unlocked. The analysis draws on SHRM, McKinsey, Gartner, and Challenger data.

If you're making people and structure decisions right now, the headlines tell you less than what these cases have in common.