Since the onset of the AI era, people have been worried about global layoffs, with thinking machines replacing human workers. AI leaders as well as small businesses integrating automation began massive layoffs in tranches, hoping that profits would soar.
In 2025, over 100,000 workers lost their jobs as companies raced to replace human roles with intelligence for faster and cheaper work. Despite looming job market uncertainty, research studies are now showing that employers are starting to understand that replacing people with AI is far more complicated.
