Believes Verizon's prior strategy of frequent price hikes without value addition was detrimental, causing customer churn and market share loss.
Advocates for aggressive adoption of AI to transform core business functions, from autonomous network repair to replacing human customer service agents, citing superior performance.
Views the rapid advancement of technology like AGI and Quantum Computing as an imminent reality that requires immediate corporate preparation, such as for 'Q-Day'.
Asserts that corporations have a responsibility to proactively retrain workers displaced by AI, initiating a fund at Verizon and proposing a broader private-sector coalition.
Aims to shift Verizon's corporate culture from being bureaucratic and risk-averse (which he rated a 2-3 out of 10) to one that embraces innovation and experimentation.
Pre-CEO Tenure
Verizon implemented approximately 30 price increases over three years without adding corresponding value, leading to customer churn and a decline in market position.
Start of CEO Tenure
Schulman assessed Verizon as a bureaucratic, risk-averse company that had lost market share for five consecutive years, fallen from #1 to last in market cap, and had the lowest forward P/E ratio in its industry.
Turnaround Implementation
Initiated a strategy of significant cost reductions, including layoffs, to fund reinvestment in customers and halt the practice of price hikes without value addition.
Q1 2026
The company reported adding over one million net new subscribers, indicating early positive results from the new strategy.
Mid-2026
Verizon is actively deploying AI, reporting that AI customer service agents outperform humans, preparing for 85% network autonomy, and has launched a $20M AI reskilling fund.
Future (2026-2030)
Schulman predicts the release of four new OpenAI models by the end of 2026, the arrival of AGI within 2-4 years, and the advent of quantum computing around 2028.
▶Corporate Turnaround StrategyMay–Jun 2026
Schulman diagnosed Verizon as a bureaucratic, risk-averse company losing market share due to repeated price hikes without added value. His turnaround involves aggressive cost-cutting and layoffs to fund reinvestment in customers and technology, aiming to reverse years of decline and poor investor confidence.
Investors should monitor whether this 'cost-cut to invest' strategy can sustainably grow market share and profitability beyond the initial turnaround phase, especially as competitors also adopt AI.
▶Aggressive AI IntegrationJun 2026
Schulman is deploying AI across Verizon's core operations at a rapid pace, from network management to customer service. He claims AI will autonomously fix 85% of network issues and that AI agents are already outperforming human counterparts in customer satisfaction, indicating a belief that AI is a primary driver of efficiency and competitive advantage.
This rapid AI adoption presents both a significant operational advantage and a potential systemic risk; analysts should assess Verizon's contingency plans for AI model failures or vulnerabilities in critical network infrastructure.
▶Preparing for Imminent Technological Shifts
Schulman's discourse is heavily focused on imminent, paradigm-shifting technologies like AGI and quantum computing. He provides specific, short-term timelines (AGI in 2-4 years, Quantum by 2028) and details Verizon's preparations for 'Q-Day,' when quantum computers could break current encryption.
Schulman's unusually short timelines for AGI and quantum computing position Verizon as a forward-thinking leader if he is right, but could also indicate a strategy based on high-risk, high-reward technological bets that may not materialize as predicted.
▶Proactive Workforce TransitionMay–Jun 2026
Recognizing that AI will displace a large percentage of jobs, Schulman is actively championing corporate-led reskilling initiatives. He has established a $20 million fund at Verizon and is working to create a larger coalition of Fortune 100 companies to address the societal impact of automation.
This focus on reskilling serves a dual purpose: mitigating the negative social impact of automation and building a public relations narrative that frames technological disruption as a manageable transition, potentially preempting regulatory scrutiny.