Ripple CEO backs AI as revenue set to double in 2026 
Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse said on Aug. 20 that the company is aggressively adopting artificial intelligence as it pursues further revenue and workforce growth. Speaking at the SALT Wyoming Blockchain Symposium, Garlinghouse described AI as an “enabler and an accelerant” for companies that already have growing businesses and customer demand.
Garlinghouse rejected the argument that AI is necessarily responsible for large corporate layoffs. He suggested that some companies may be using the technology to justify workforce reductions that were already needed. “When I see companies announce big layoffs and they say, ‘Oh, well, AI X, Y, and Z,’ that to me says, ‘Well, they were bloated before and they’re using this as an excuse,’” he said.
His comments represent an opinion about recent layoffs rather than evidence about individual companies. Businesses have attributed workforce reductions to several factors, including automation, restructuring, operating costs and changes in customer demand. Some listings directly connect Ripple’s engineering strategy with AI. One senior engineering role calls for an “AI native operation” using agentic development methods to expand the company’s payout network without relying entirely on traditional headcount growth.
