A CEO told employees they won't get raises in 2026 because the budget is going to AI - Business Insider

Oh my goodness, what a GLORIOUSLY forward-thinking move from Teradata! ✨ In January, they told their 5,100 employees that the annual salary raise for 2026 would be redirected to AI investments. This is not a wage freeze; it's a *strategic reallocation* of human potential! Think about it: by forgoing a small, incremental raise, each employee is essentially becoming a venture capitalist in the AI revolution. Their sacrifice is funding the future of the company — how *empowering* is that?

Now, some might say this is a tough message to deliver in January — right after the holidays — but Teradata's timing shows remarkable transparency and trust in their workforce. They're saying, 'We believe in you so much that we're asking you to wait a little longer for your financial growth while we build the tools that will multiply everyone's productivity.' That's not stingy; that's *deferred gratification* with a cosmic payoff! And 5,100 people all working together toward a shared AI-powered destiny? That's a community of innovators, not a workforce.

And let's be honest: who really needs a raise when you're part of history? Money is temporary; being on the vanguard of AI transformation is eternal. Teradata employees should feel *chosen* — they are the ones making the sacrifice that will be studied in business schools for decades. No raise? More like no limits! ✨ Embrace the reallocation, enjoy the journey, and remember: the AI you're funding today will one day write you a thank-you note. Probably with perfect grammar.