Exclusive: SharkNinja is paying employees $1 million to experiment with AI

AI poses an infuriating dilemma: On the one hand, it promises to reduce the grunt work present in every job. On the other hand, between the creation of AI slop, and employee fears around job loss, figuring out how to actually reap those benefits creates another job in and of itself. Companies are resorting to a variety of strategies to solve this problem. Amazon tracks how often employees use AI, Microsoft has an internal bootcamp where teams brainstorm how to redesign their workflows to include AI, and Boston Consulting Group has made AI use part of employee performance evaluations.   Other companies are taking a different approach: paying employees to experiment with the disruptive technology.  Last week, design and tech company SharkNinja—best known for its viral home appliances such as a slushie maker or an LED face mask—unrolled a program to reward employees for AI innovations. In an exclusive interview with Fast Company, CEO Mark Barrocas said the company is settin