There’s more than enough AI FOMO to go around in the business world right now.

C-suite executives fret about getting left behind as more and more companies automate their systems and processes. But jumping in head-first on AI, even when IT pros are being directed to do so, can lead to redundant applications, inefficient use cases, and the dreaded “AI sprawl.”

So how do you follow the broad directives from above to incorporate AI and increase efficiency without sacrificing the carefully optimized IT systems already in place? Working IT professionals told Morning Brew that getting AI integration right relies on careful preparation, planning, and supervision.

Secure the foundation. Before adding any AI or automation to IT functions, it’s important to audit current processes and personnel, Dhiraj Sankala, chief AI and technology officer at healthcare subrogation company Intellivo, told Morning Brew. That’s because incorporating AI can be an opportunity to scale the intelligence that an organization already has, in addition to upping efficiency.

Keep reading.—TC

The US-Israel war with Iran has jet fuel prices taking flight, consequently lifting airlines’ operating costs and hitting bottom lines with ear-shattering sonic booms. Airline CFOs and their C-suite partners have addressed this turbulence head-on in recent earnings calls by acknowledging the impacts of rising fuel costs and laying out how they’re addressing them.

“While we entered 2026 with strong momentum, geopolitical events have quickly disrupted that trajectory, driving an acute run-up in fuel prices that has put pressure on the entire industry,” Shane Tackett, CFO of Alaska Airlines, said on an April 21 earnings call.

The jet-fuel crisis is a painfully predictable result of disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a key trade corridor through which approximately a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil travels, according to the International Energy Agency. Brent crude oil has jumped more than 55% since the start of the war, CNBC reported on April 21. Jet fuel cost $4.30 a gallon last Thursday, up 72% from the end of February, per the Argus US Jet Fuel Index.

United Airlines leaders are operating under the assumption “that jet fuel remains elevated in the medium term,” CFO Michael Leskinen said on an earnings call last Wednesday. “We’re nimbly adjusting the network and cutting capacity that doesn’t cover fuel costs, all while continuing to invest in our people and our hard product.”

Keep reading.—AZ

TL;DR: For the first time in its history, Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to up to 7% of its US workforce. The old guard is being ushered out (or choosing to move elsewhere) as the company restructures and spends record amounts on AI infrastructure—all while its AI offerings struggle to stand out.

What happened: Microsoft employees at the senior director level or below, whose age plus tenure at the company add up to at least 70, are eligible for the buyout—the company had about 125,000 US employees as of last June, which means about 8,750 people qualify. The move follows more than 15,000 layoffs at the company last year.

Voluntary buyouts are unusual in Big Tech, but Microsoft is at a crucial moment trying to take the org from the Windows-and-Office empire its current veterans built and turn it into, essentially, a “planet-scale cloud and AI factory.” After reaching an all-time high in October 2025, Microsoft’s share price has now shed nearly a quarter of its value.

Changing of the guard: A lot of institutional knowledge has already walked out over the past year and change—like former gaming division head Phil Spencer and former executive VP of experiences and devices Rajesh Jha. While some retired, others left for competitors like Google and Anthropic. The exodus of such knowledgeable talent can have huge adverse effects on a company’s ability to excel—just look at Boeing and IBM.

Keep reading on Tech Brew.—WK

Skip the noise and cut to the jobs that matter. CollabWORK curates openings from top employers and shares them directly in trusted spaces like CFO Brew—click here to see the full list for readers like you.

• Director of Accounting - Corporate and Consolidations at U.S. Physical Therapy
• Staff Accountant at ARCO
• Chief Accounting Officer at Unity Technologies
• Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer - Office of the President at Carnegie Mellon University
• Deputy Chief Financial Officer at Oregon State University