Laid-off tech workers ask whether AI caused layoffs

Many recently laid-off U.S. tech workers say they are unsure whether AI investments or other corporate priorities drove their job cuts; companies often cited efficiency or restructuring while some workers are learning AI skills to adapt.

Many workers recently dismissed from U.S. tech companies are left asking whether AI investments played a role in their layoffs. Employers typically announced cuts while also publicly funding AI projects, leaving employees to compare company statements with observed changes at work. Some affected workers described seeing AI used as a tool in their teams but not as a full replacement for their roles. Others said they believed cuts were intended to free resources for AI spending or to streamline operations. Key points: - Dozens of laid-off employees told Business Insider they repeatedly wondered whether AI was a factor in their job losses. - US employers cited AI as responsible for nearly 55,000 planned layoffs last year, according to Challenger. - Company statements often pointed to efficiency, restructuring or reducing management layers; Microsoft, Amazon and Intel are mentioned as citing streamlining or efficiency. - A Goldman Sachs survey found 90% of analysts said AI had not yet affected employment levels at covered companies, while 60% expected AI to push employment lower over the next five years. Summary: Workers face uncertainty about whether AI directly caused recent tech layoffs, and some are reporting shifts in job searches or skill development toward AI-related work while others view AI primarily as a tool rather than a replacement. Undetermined at this time.