Layoffs and AI: Tech Workers With Low AI Usage Face 3 Times Higher Job Loss Risk, Study Finds
New Gallup research indicates that tech workers who use AI less than monthly face an 18% layoff risk, triple the 6% rate of frequent users. While most employees do not view AI as the direct cause of job losses, the data suggests that AI fluency has become a critical factor for professional job security.
A new study from Gallup reveals a striking correlation between artificial intelligence literacy and job security within the technology sector. According to the research, tech professionals who use AI tools less than once a month face an 18% predicted probability of being laid off, a risk level three times higher than the 6% faced by those who integrate AI into their work regularly.
The findings, based on a February 2026 survey of over 23,000 U.S. workers, indicate that AI adoption is rapidly becoming a significant fault line within organisations. While the trend is most pronounced in the tech industry, a similar, albeit smaller, gap exists across other sectors. Researchers suggest that AI fluency is no longer merely an optional skill but a key factor influencing retention decisions during corporate downsizing. Are You at Risk? Tech Workers Ignoring AI Face Triple Layoff Probability, Warns New Research.
Interestingly, there is a notable disconnect between employee experience and corporate strategy. Only 1% of laid-off workers cited AI as the direct cause of their job loss, with most attributing their situation to broader organisational restructuring, cost-cutting, or economic conditions. However, outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported that AI was cited by companies as the primary reason for approximately 40% of job cuts announced last month. BlackRock Layoffs: Asset Manager Cuts 200 Jobs in Latest Round, CEO Larry Fink Adopts Cycle of Continuous Restructuring.
Experts caution that these figures likely understate AI's indirect influence. Organisations are increasingly redesigning workflows and streamlining operations in response to new technologies, which may lead to role eliminations that are not explicitly branded as "AI-driven" in exit communications.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2026 06:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).