Ripple CEO Shuts Down Layoff Fears as AI Boom Drives Growth Amid Coinbase Cuts

Ripple CEO Says AI Is a Growth Tool, Not a Job Cutter 

As AI-driven disruption fuels job-loss fears across the tech sector, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse is pushing a different narrative. 

Speaking to CoinDesk at Consensus Miami 2026, he rejected the idea that artificial intelligence is primarily a tool for cutting jobs, challenging a sentiment gaining traction across the industry. 

“Painting AI as the boogeyman is a travesty,” he said, framing the technology not as a threat, but as a catalyst for expansion. Inside Ripple, this philosophy is already taking shape. AI is embedded across core functions, from engineering and finance to marketing, quietly reshaping how work gets done. 

One of the clearest signals of this shift is in software development. Garlinghouse says about 75% of Ripple’s code is now written or assisted by AI, a figure that underscores acceleration, not downsizing. 

Well, this is a perfect example that engineers aren’t being replaced, rather they’re being amplified. With AI handling repetitive tasks, teams can build faster, iterate more freely, and spend more time solving complex, high-impact problems.

The impact extends well beyond code. AI is streamlining internal operations and informing sharper product decisions, giving Ripple an edge in a market where speed and precision are everything. Rather than sidelining human input, AI is reinforcing it, helping the company move quicker without compromising judgment.

Ripple Bets on AI-Driven Growth as Coinbase Cuts Workforce 

Garlinghouse’s stance sharply diverges from the broader industry trend. At Coinbase, CEO Brian Armstrong recently unveiled plans to cut roughly 14% of the workforce, about 700 roles, citing market volatility, slowing trading activity, and the growing influence of AI on operations.

This forward-looking stance goes beyond AI. Garlinghouse suggested the coming weeks could prove pivotal for U.S. crypto regulation, with new legislation potentially defining the industry’s next phase. Meanwhile, Ripple is holding off on a public listing, pointing to weak post-IPO performance among peers as a reason for caution.

Overally, while others scale back, Ripple is betting on AI as a strategic growth lever, not a replacement for people, to drive its next phase of expansion.