US employers announced 97,006 job cuts in May 2026, the highest since 2020, driven by AI restructuring. S&P 500 futures dropped on the Challenger data

AI overtook market and economic conditions as the leading reason companies cited for cutting jobs in May, according to the most recent report from Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

Lay offs in the U.S. continue to make headlines as job cuts in the country were estimated highest since 2020.