90% of HR Work Can Be Automated: Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow's Radical Bet on Lean Teams
In one of the boldest organizational experiments in recent startup history, Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow has eliminated his company's entire HR department — and is doubling down on the claim that artificial intelligence can handle the bulk of what human resources professionals have traditionally done.
Speaking at Fortune's Workforce Innovation Summit, Breslow defended the decision directly: "We had an HR team, and that HR team was creating problems that didn't exist. Those problems disappeared when I let them go
From $11 Billion to $300 Million — and Back to Basics
After Bolt's valuation collapsed by approximately 97% — from an $11 billion peak in 2022 to roughly $300 million in 2024 — Breslow returned as CEO in 2025 to execute a drastic turnaround strategy. The centerpiece of this overhaul was the complete elimination of the HR department, paired with a 30% workforce reduction. Ainvest
He described the shift as operating in "wartime" — a mode that demands a leaner organization. "We're back in startup mode again," Breslow told the summit audience, noting that HR professionals offer important insights "when you're in peacetime and when you're at a larger company" — but not when survival is on the line. FinTech Magazine
The Culture of Entitlement Breslow Says Doomed Bolt
Breslow pointed to a broader productivity slump, with employees growing too comfortable during the company's boom years. "There's a sense of entitlement that had festered across the company, and people who felt empowered, felt entitled — but weren't actually working hard. And this is the number one thing that I had to battle." Fortune
When he returned as CEO, he gave legacy employees 60 days to adjust to a leaner operating style. By his own estimate, 99% failed to adapt, leading him to replace nearly the entire leadership team. "They had gotten used to working at a company where they didn't have to get their hands dirty," Breslow said. International Business Times
People Ops Over HR: A Leaner Model
Breslow replaced the traditional HR function with a smaller "people operations" team focused specifically on training and essential employee resources. On LinkedIn, he wrote that "HR is the wrong energy, format, and approach," framing the people operations team as more focused on compliance and direct employee support. Entrepreneur International Business Times
Industry Reaction: Bold Move or Dangerous Gamble?
The remarks quickly triggered debate among startup founders, labor advocates, and HR professionals, many of whom warned that eliminating HR departments could expose companies to compliance risks and weaken employee protections — particularly for foreign-born employees who rely on internal support for visa-related concerns and dispute resolution. The American Bazaar
Supporters of lean startup structures, however, argue that companies under financial pressure must rethink administrative overhead to remain competitive — and that AI is increasingly capable of filling the gap.