Much of the narrative around AI and work is still about what might happen next. So what does work look like inside companies building and adopting AI right now?

This month’s Overheard brings together some of the more revealing comments founders have made about how their companies are being run, from the way engineers work to how employees are assessed.

AI funding has set a new record this year. Between March and May 2026, ten AI companies raised rounds ranging from $11 million to $5 billion. Their founders have been candid about who they hire and who they turn away, what they'd refuse to sell, and what keeps them up at night. Here's what they said.