---
id: "action-frame-ai-positively"
type: "action-item"
source_timestamps: ["§ What to Do Instead"]
tags: ["internal-communications", "change-management"]
related: ["claim-premature-layoffs-consequences", "framework-effective-ai-implementation"]
speakers: ["Thomas H. Davenport", "Laks Srinivasan"]
action: "Communicate that AI's purpose is to free employees for higher-value tasks, not to replace them."
outcome: "Increased employee engagement, reduced cynicism, and proactive adoption of AI tools by the workforce."
sources: ["execution"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-execution"
originDay: 8
articleStem: "hbr-foci-62-layoffs-ai-potential-not-performance"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/companies-are-laying-off-workers-because-of-ais-potential-not-its-performance"
sourceTitle: "Companies Are Laying Off Workers Because of AI’s Potential—Not Its Performance"
---
# Frame AI as Employee Augmentation

**Action:** Communicate clearly and early that the primary purpose of AI adoption is to *free employees for higher-value tasks*, not to eliminate their jobs. If employees believe layoffs are only a last resort, they are significantly more likely to actively engage in finding ways to use AI to improve their work.

**Why:** Foregrounding layoffs triggers the cynicism-and-disengagement spiral in [[claim-premature-layoffs-consequences]]; augmentation framing reverses it. This is the human-engagement counterweight to [[concept-performative-ai-layoffs]].

**Outcome:** Increased employee engagement, reduced cynicism, and proactive workforce adoption of AI tools.

Step 4 of [[framework-effective-ai-implementation]]. **Enrichment:** EY finds role-specific tools and extensive training produce markedly higher value; BCG links training and workflow reshaping to stronger employee support — indirect support for the augmentation framing. Scaled Agile's own 'AI Augmented Workforce' framework uses the same language.


## Related across articles
- [[quote-human-empowerment]]
- [[question-workforce-reduction]]
- [[concept-efficiency-tax]]