"Investing in talent and AI tools not mutually exclusive. Many of these 'AI layoffs' are just companies underperforming or lacking a bigger market opportunity. There's a lot of companies that are doing layoffs right now and blaming it on AI, but they're actually doing layoffs because the businesses aren't performing particularly well. And it's a convenient excuse."
"In 2025, AI was cited in nearly 55,000 layoffs, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Economists, on the other hand, have pointed out that there are countless reasons driving layoffs, from immigration policy to tariffs and political uncertainty; sometimes it's simply a matter of financial performance."
Block CEO Jack Dorsey announced 40% workforce cuts citing AI efficiency gains, prompting speculation about industry-wide layoffs. However, Whoop CEO Will Ahmed challenged this narrative, announcing his company would nearly double its workforce instead. Ahmed argued that investing in talent and AI tools are not mutually exclusive, suggesting companies using AI as a layoff justification are actually underperforming or lack sufficient market opportunities. He characterized many AI-related layoffs as convenient excuses masking poor business performance. While AI was cited in nearly 55,000 layoffs in 2025, economists note multiple factors drive job cuts, including immigration policy, tariffs, and political uncertainty, beyond technological advancement.
Read at Fast Company
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