Two high-profile takes on AI adoption landed this week: Wharton professor Peter Cappelli cautioned that meaningful AI-driven headcount reductions are expensive and operationally complex, while IgniteTech CEO Eric Vaughan acknowledged replacing nearly 80% of his staff over AI adoption resistance and defended the decision. Cappelli’s research and commentary signal caution for institutions that expect rapid labor displacement; Vaughan’s actions illustrate an aggressive corporate approach to workforce transformation. For universities, the episode matters for curriculum design, career services and executive education: colleges must weigh how to teach practical AI integration, reskilling and change management rather than promise simple job-loss outcomes. Employers and academic programs will be judged on their ability to produce graduates who can manage complex AI deployments, not just use the tools.