NEW YORK, Nov 8
As global tech and retail giants continue to trim their workforce, experts say the recent wave of layoffs isn’t being driven by artificial intelligence (AI) — at least not yet. Instead, they point to corporate restructuring and cost-cutting as the main forces behind the current job losses.
The debate over AI’s role in reshaping the workforce reignited after Amazon, Google, and several Fortune 500 firms announced layoffs in recent weeks. However, analysts argue that automation hasn’t yet reached the level where human jobs are being directly replaced on a large scale.
“These layoffs are primarily about recalibration — companies are resizing after pandemic over-hiring,” said Dr. Ethan Moore, labor economist at Columbia University. “AI disruption will come, but what we’re seeing now is financial housekeeping, not a robot revolution.”
Corporate tightening, not tech takeover
Amazon’s latest layoffs in logistics and cloud operations follow similar moves by Meta and IBM, reflecting what experts describe as “efficiency realignment” amid slower consumer spending and global uncertainty.
While companies are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, the shift toward automation is still in its early integration phase, especially in sectors like retail, HR, and customer support.
“AI hasn’t taken jobs yet — it’s preparing to reshape them,” said Anjali Mehta, Senior Analyst at Gartner. “The next phase will involve hybrid human-AI workflows, but the mass replacement narrative is still premature.”
AI transition still looms ahead
Economists caution that as AI adoption accelerates through 2026–27, routine and mid-skill jobs could face gradual elimination. Yet, new roles in data analysis, model training, and prompt engineering may offset some losses.
The US Department of Labor recently noted that technology-driven restructuring has historically created as many roles as it eliminates, though the skills mismatch remains a major challenge.
