Crypto exchange OKX is deepening its push into artificial intelligence, with founder and CEO Star Xu arguing that AI will reward top-performing employees while making it harder for unproductive workers to survive inside companies.
Xu made the comments while responding to reports that OKX plans to include AI usage metrics in upcoming employee performance reviews. According to Bloomberg, the exchange is preparing to measure how workers use AI tools during mid-year evaluations expected in September.
People casually talking about AI now immediately trigger headlines about layoffs. Every restructuring becomes “because of AI.”
The reality is far more nuanced.
The AI era does not reduce the importance of talent — it dramatically increases the importance of top talent for most… https://t.co/JgM6BsM9C8
— Star_OKX (@star_okx) May 28, 2026
Star Xu says AI will increase value of top talent
Xu rejected the idea that artificial intelligence simply replaces jobs. Instead, he argued that AI changes the kind of talent companies need.
According to the OKX CEO, successful firms have always relied on a small number of highly effective workers who understand systems, solve problems quickly, and deliver results. He said AI now makes those employees even more valuable because they can build workflows and operational structures around AI tools and agents.
Xu also said AI is exposing workers who focus more on internal politics, presentations, and process management than actual execution.
Referencing philosopher Harry Frankfurt’s book On Bullshit, Xu described some employees as people who prioritize impression management over meaningful output. He argued that AI speeds up operational tasks so quickly that unnecessary bureaucracy becomes easier to spot.
OKX expands AI into employee performance reviews
Reports show OKX began encouraging staff earlier this year to integrate AI into daily operations. The exchange may now formally track AI-related performance metrics including token usage, workflow efficiency, and time saved on tasks.
Employees across the company already have access to enterprise versions of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude.
Managers have reportedly been directed to increase AI adoption across departments such as engineering, customer service, training, product development, and quality assurance.
One of the company’s largest AI deployments involves a customer service knowledge base powered by AI bots that automatically retrieve information and respond to user requests.
Crypto firms continue AI adoption
The AI expansion at OKX comes after the exchange reportedly reduced its workforce by hundreds of employees over the past year. The company currently employs around 5,000 workers globally.
The move also reflects a wider corporate trend as companies increasingly automate workflows and reduce operational costs using AI systems. Reports show AI was responsible for 26% of all corporate job cut announcements in April.
Additionally, OKX recently introduced a new trading infrastructure platform called Exchange OS, giving users the ability to create their own spot, perpetual and prediction markets on-chain.
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