Talk about AI causing layoffs started back in 2024.
At that time, many companies were under pressure because of the global economy. Budgets were tight, investors demanded better efficiency, and companies wanted to look "AI-driven" and modern. In this situation, layoffs were often explained as "AI optimization."
But did AI really automate all of this work? It's hard to say for sure. However, we can look at how AI is actually being adopted in companies.
According to McKinsey's The State of AI in 2025, only about 30-40% of companies managed to scale AI beyond small experiments and pilot projects.
From my own experience talking to AI enablement specialists, attending conferences, and doing research, the real level of AI adoption inside companies is often even lower than what companies publicly claim.
