Los Angeles Roadshow: People, AI, and the Future of Work

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On February 24, we kicked off our 2026 Roadshow in Los Angeles with an evening focused on connection, candor, and real conversation. Set against the relaxed backdrop of an LA happy hour, employee experience and workplace leaders from organizations including Match Group, Riot Games, and HubSpot came together to explore how teams are navigating rapid change while keeping employees at the center. The event provided a space for leaders to share strategies, discuss challenges, and compare notes on shaping the future of work.

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Fireside Chat with Daniel Bird, GumGum

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The highlight of the evening was a fireside chat with Daniel Bird, Vice President of People & Culture at GumGum. Daniel shared grounded perspectives on leading through transformation, aligning people strategy with business outcomes, and the evolving role of AI in the workplace. With experience spanning Reality TV, the Energy sector, and advertising, he offered unique insights into building human-centered workplaces while driving operational excellence.

Keep reading — you won’t want to miss the questions and answers from this amazing afternoon, along with valuable insights into today’s employee experience challenges and opportunities.

How are you thinking about the various challenges of the AI revolution and how to address them as a people team?

AI is creating an exponential shift in knowledge work and emphasized that organizations risk missing out on its potential if they don’t embrace it. At GumGum, AI isn’t about replacing work, but enabling the team to do things they’ve never been able to do before — like reviewing qualitative comments, analyzing full surveys, and diving deeper into market benchmarking and role analysis. By using AI thoughtfully, teams can accelerate their work, make processes more useful, and free up time for more meaningful, human-centered contributions

If AI replaces much of the “entry-level grunt work,” what happens to early career pipelines?

Expectations for entry-level positions are shifting in today’s fast-changing workplace. While starting a career can feel uncertain with knowledge more accessible than ever, AI isn’t replacing these roles — it’s enhancing them, helping employees focus on higher-value work, analyze insights more effectively, and tackle projects previously out of reach. He also highlighted AI’s potential to unlock innovation and entrepreneurship, while encouraging companies and early career talent to thoughtfully navigate these changes.

Let’s talk about how to navigate the remote vs. hybrid debate in the workplace. How are you approaching this and what do you see as the future of work?

Daniel explained that while remote work offers flexibility and more family time, in-person offices are crucial for collaboration, mentorship, and relationship-building, especially for junior talent. Reflecting on COVID experiences, he noted that working alongside colleagues enables faster problem-solving, hands-on learning, and lasting professional networks, and cautioned that overreliance on remote work can limit these essential connections.

Gen Z in some cases are experiencing the physical workplace for the first time, how do you help them acclimate to the new world of work?

The best way for Gen Z to learn workplace norms is through immersion — being in the office and experiencing it firsthand. He emphasized that the real value of the workplace lies in informal interactions and relationship-building, and leaders should guide them with empathy as they navigate these new experiences.

What have you found successful at GumGum to raise connection opportunities, especially in the last year as things have evolved?

Daniel shared that GumGum shifted from large, novelty events to intentional, meaningful experiences. Lunch-and-learns, catered QBRs, and leadership presence drive the most connection, giving employees purposeful reasons to be in the office. Focus groups and feedback guide these efforts, emphasizing real interaction over attendance enforcement.

How have you seen AI applied effectively in People teams, and how do you personally use it?

At GumGum, AI handles routine People tasks, like job descriptions, data analysis, and communications, freeing the team to focus on higher-value work. Tools like Gemini and Charthop provide fast, transparent insights, and AI agents help simplify complex processes. He also highlighted using AI in learning programs, giving employees hands-on experience to build skills for the future.

Last Words + Q&As

Connection Beyond the Conversation

What stood out most was Daniel Bird himself—his insights, openness, and energy set the tone for the evening. Leaders explored what it truly means to build resilient, human-centered workplaces. 

As the first stop of our 2026 Roadshow, Los Angeles set the stage for practical, people-first conversations we hope to continue across cities this year. Lastly, thank you to Sharebite for making the evening possible!

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-The Epoch Team

‍Missed out? Join us on March 26th for our Roadshow Recap: Takeaways and Learnings