Using employees’ AI abilities as a measure of whether they should get a bonus, promoted – or even sacked – is fast becoming more common.

Accenture CEO Julie Sweet told the Rapid Response podcast in March: “Today, AI at Accenture is how we do work. So if you want to get promoted, you’ve got to do the things that we do in order to operate at Accenture.”

And big names like Disney, Meta, JP Morgan and KPMG have introduced “AI leaderboards” to track and rank employees’ usage of the array of LLMs and platforms at their disposal, according to media reports, external. Crypto trading platform Coinbase has already fired engineers who didn’t complete AI training, as requested by the chief executive, Brian Armstrong, external.

It demonstrates how eager business leaders are to see a return from their AI investments, especially when 94% of companies have yet to see significant value from AI, according to a report, external by consultants McKinsey.

Employees feel they have to get on board, thanks to the current state of the jobs market – in the UK, vacancies have hit a five-year low.

Meanwhile, 75% of the 1,881 UK jobseekers polled in July by recruiter Gi Group say they would not be put off applying to an organisation that had introduced AI proficiency into individual performance reviews. Around 22% said it would be off-putting.

“It’s like being in the sea and you see a giant wave coming. You can get out a surfboard and try and ride it as long as possible, or you can just let it take you under. But you can’t stop the wave,” says Trevithick.

But what’s going on at the large consultancy Pamela (her name has been changed to protect her identity) works for isn’t sitting right with her.

She’s a US-based senior executive who has observed that, while there isn’t a formal mandate for employees to use AI, it’s obviously determining who is rewarded, and who is left behind.

“The ground is shifting under us. You’ve got to demonstrate [AI] fluency and fluidity as one of your key achievements. It’s kind of quiet where nobody’s saying, ‘learn AI or else’. But let me tell you, in performance reviews, they reward who uses it well,” says Pamela.

That shift, she adds, means that AI capabilities are now counting for more than actual experience, which is creating a “two tier workforce”.

“You’ve got the same job title, same tenure, but different value based on whether someone treats AI as a threat or a tool – that gap widens really quickly once leadership notices it,” says Pamela.

“AI fluency beats credentials every day. Somebody that has 15, 20 years of experience and no AI fluency will be passed over for those that have, say, three years, but are fast with the tools.”

She adds: “If you’re not visibly using AI, you see slower promotion timelines. It’s harder to be seen, and it’s harder to fight being on that shortlist.”

Lenovo has launched Call Eva, a phone line that lets entrepreneurs in the UK and six other countries leave a voice message for the actress and business owner Eva Longoria, with a selection of the questions to be answered live on 16 September.

The initiative, announced by the technology company on 8 September, is the latest activation of its global Backing Every Business programme. Lenovo said callers could ask Longoria, its global ambassador, about business growth, leadership and entrepreneurship, and that selected callers might then be contacted and offered the chance to speak to her live.

Lenovo said the concept behind the line was that “every entrepreneur needs someone they can call”.

How the line works

Entrepreneurs in Brazil, France, India, Japan, Mexico, the UK and the US can leave a voice message, according to the company’s announcement. Callers in the UK, Brazil, France and Japan dial +800 TALK2EVA (+800 82552382), with separate numbers for the US, Mexico and India. Lenovo said standard call and data charges might apply.

Longoria will answer what Lenovo described as “the most burning questions” live on her Instagram account, @evalongoria, at about 9.30am Pacific time, which is 5.30pm in the UK, on 16 September.

Lenovo directed entrants to the Call Eva website for eligibility requirements and terms and conditions. The site also carries a form asking entrepreneurs for their contact details, country, date of birth, business name and how long they have been in business, along with a description of the advice they want from Longoria in up to 200 characters, for what it calls “a chance to talk shop with Eva”.

Lenovo said the questions submitted would help address issues “keeping entrepreneurs up at night”, from navigating growth and leadership to hiring, marketing, AI adoption and managing competing priorities. It added that Longoria’s commentary reflected her personal opinions and experience and did not constitute professional business, financial or legal advice.

Beyond her work as an actress, director and producer, Longoria is an entrepreneur and investor whose ventures span food, beverage, media and other consumer businesses, according to Lenovo. She is also the founder of the Eva Longoria Foundation, which works to expand educational and economic opportunities for Latinas.

“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is that you don’t have to have all the answers yourself. Some of the best decisions start with asking someone you trust for insights, a fresh perspective or even just reassurance that you’re heading in the right direction,” Longoria said.

She added: “We’re giving entrepreneurs a place to bring the questions they’re really wrestling with, because chances are, another business owner has faced similar dilemmas. If something I’ve learned along the way can help someone better navigate a challenge, make a tough decision or take their next step with more confidence, that’s incredibly meaningful to me.”

Backing Every Business

Lenovo describes Backing Every Business as offering technology packages tailored to a company’s needs alongside practical advice, hands-on mentorship, training and a global network.

Call Eva follows the programme’s Twinning initiative, announced on 17 March, which connects entrepreneurs in different markets who are facing similar business challenges so they can exchange experiences, perspectives and practical advice. Lenovo said it had connected small business owners across Japan, Mexico, the UK and the US earlier in 2026. Longoria is also global ambassador for Twinning.

Other schemes aimed at UK founders include NatWest’s Accelerator, which the bank said in February it planned to expand to 50,000 entrepreneurs in 2026.

Emily Ketchen, senior vice-president and chief marketing officer for Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group and International Markets, said: “Technology can unlock enormous opportunities for small businesses, but technology alone doesn’t build a business. Entrepreneurs also need access to trusted advice, shared experiences and a community that understands the realities of building and growing a business.”

She added: “Backing Every Business brings those pieces together and Call Eva gives us a new avenue to extend that support while listening directly to entrepreneurs about the challenges they’re navigating. By understanding their questions, we can continue to find meaningful ways to help small businesses move forward and grow with confidence.”

Cherry Martin

Cherry is Associate Editor of Business Matters with responsibility for planning and writing future features, interviews and more in-depth pieces for what is now the UK’s largest print and online source of current business news.

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