Greater than 50,000 tech workers have misplaced their jobs up to now this 12 months. Requested why, most will say the identical factor: synthetic intelligence.
Not as a result of AI rose up and destroyed their workplaces, however as a result of it assumed a lot of their obligations. And AI doesn’t draw a wage.
To this point this 12 months, greater than 50,000 tech employees have misplaced their jobs, and employers say AI instruments are making it simpler to chop workers.
Whereas layoffs started final 12 months, corporations have accelerated the method in 2026 by counting on AI to exchange employees in roles similar to software program testing and customer support, in accordance with employers.
The development reveals no indicators of slowing down as corporations overhaul their operations to include AI, which might carry out duties with out relaxation or criticism.
There’s one other factor to this story. At the least one laid off engineer advised me, “I helped practice the AI that changed me.”
Ironic? Sure. In accordance with firm executives, it’s one thing else: the inevitable march of progress.
This isn’t a one-off factor. A whole lot of huge tech corporations are embracing automation.
The No. 1 factor is corporations try to undertake AI, and so they’re utilizing AI to automate jobs … [Companies are] actually taking a look at the place they will exchange folks with AI fashions.
Then there are the individuals who don’t suppose it is a enormous deal. Like some economists, who say that that is simply one other industrial revolution, solely this time it’s occurring actually quick and includes numerous computer systems.
However these new jobs require very completely different expertise, which makes it onerous for employers and pundits to inform laid-off employees that they need to merely “reskill.”
I talked to some tech workers this week and so they’re feeling each thrilled and terrified about AI. Right here’s one developer: “What AI can do is superb. However what’s form of terrifying is how briskly it’s making us pointless.”
The phrase that jumps out there may be “pointless.” For a very long time, working in tech was seen as a certain factor. Now it doesn’t appear that approach in any respect.
Which brings us to the plain query: Now what?
It’s approach too quickly to inform. For now, we’re left with a way of surprise blended with unease. AI isn’t a villain, however it’s disrupting numerous folks’s lives.
Perhaps the difficulty isn’t that machines are taking our jobs. Perhaps the difficulty is that we weren’t ready for how briskly they’d do it.
If that is the beginning of a protracted story, that’s scary. Nevertheless it’s additionally thrilling.
Buckle up.
