#ai

Why companies are hiring workers back after AI-driven layoffs

https://www.spiceworks.com/it-careers/why-companies-are-hiring-workers-back-after-ai-layoffs/

What about HPE Research and Cray group? What do those people do? Amy revenue out of there? Are they going to continue or on the chopping block? I hear they do some AI stuff as well

BLR and Sofia exist because we're cheaper. AI is cheaper so HQ will trim the edges

A recent analysis of U.S. tech job postings reveals a significant increase in hiring despite ongoing layoffs. Employers are prioritizing cloud infrastructure, DevOps, and data system expertise over niche AI skills. Amazon Web Services (AWS) emerged as the most sought-after skill, appearing in 30% of job ads. Cloud platforms collectively were required in nearly 42% of postings, highlighting their critical role. The tech sector remains the largest employer, with California and Virginia leading in job vacancies.

United States

https://finchannel.com/ai-layoffs-havent-slowed-tech-hiring-aws-cloud-skills-and-git-lead-u-s-job-market-oxylabs-research-finds/133214/jobs/2026/07/

Fintech company Chime is implementing a 10% workforce reduction, impacting approximately 150 employees. This move aligns with a broader industry trend of companies leveraging AI for operational efficiencies. CEO Chris Britt cited the need for faster, more agile teams with flatter structures to accelerate growth and profitability. The company is preparing to release its second-quarter financial results next week. Chime's stock has experienced a 10% decline this year.

San Francisco, California

https://www.reuters.com/business/world-at-work/chime-cut-10-total-workforce-or-about-140-jobs-source-says-2026-07-31/

Just an FYI for you. I entered a comment (on this site) about how Jones is reducing payouts on LP A share and provided my conjectures on its future. I was searching for sites that might provide more information on the offering. Guess what— AI quoted my comments as a factual response to my search. It is so ironic. The offering that will substantially lessen my annual earnings will provide capital to increase AI that is simply taking information whether factual or not and providing to users. So sad! Beware of any information provided by AI online.

Get rid of all the tenured Store Managers and have someone replace them with half the pay.

Below is what GMs do, they dont bring any revenue.

Reviewed sales dashboards that an AI could summarize in five seconds.

Answered repetitive customer questions that a chatbot handles 24/7.

Sent follow-up emails whose content could be generated by AI with remarkably similar enthusiasm.

Scheduled employees using software that already suggests the optimal schedule.

Read reports generated by systems that generate reports about other systems.

Approved routine requests that mostly followed predefined policies.

Held meetings to discuss KPIs that AI had already analyzed.

Repeated corporate announcements after they had already been emailed to everyone.

Escalated unusual situations—the one area where humans still tend to outperform automation.

Provided empathy, judgment, and conflict resolution when customers had complex or emotionally charged issues.

This doesn’t apply to any other BUs but confirmed no LRs in August for Wireless. Holding on to Wi-Fi 8 and MCG for dear life. The AI stuff is just window dressing but it opens doors so they will keep at it. Lotsa openings in India, but hiring there is slow.

The constant stream of security patches was bad enough a few years back but how is it going today, in light of all of the vulnerabilities being found by AI ?

From https://www.thelayoff.com/post/@bk+1kyscy9ar, it looks like the frequency has increased. It can’t be a pretty picture but please tell me the process is more automated now.

AI entire executive board leadership save millions, VZ stock price might increase

On December 1, 2025, IBM questioned the economics of hyperscalers’ AI infrastructure plans. Using a hypothetical 100-gigawatt global buildout costing $8 trillion, he concluded: “There’s no way you’re going to get a return on that.”

The warning was not irrational: AI infrastructure is expensive, chips depreciate quickly, and not every investment—or every provider—will earn an adequate return. But Amazon’s latest results make the categorical conclusion increasingly difficult to defend.

In Q2 2026:

• AWS revenue rose 37% to $42.2 billion, its fastest growth in 18 quarters.
• AWS operating income increased 64% to $16.6 billion.
• AWS achieved a 39.4% operating margin.
• Amazon’s AI and custom-chip businesses each exceeded a $25 billion annual revenue run rate, with both growing at triple-digit rates.

Amazon is now planning approximately $220 billion of 2026 capital spending, yet says demand continues to exceed available capacity and much of its 2027 AWS capacity is already reserved. AWS’s contract backlog reportedly reached $496 billion.

Amazon is simultaneously increasing AI investment, accelerating AWS growth and expanding cloud operating profit.

The better conclusion is not that every dollar of hyperscaler spending will pay off. It is that the companies owning scarce AI capacity, customer demand and global distribution may earn substantial returns—while companies that avoided the investment risk becoming dependent on them.

IBM may ultimately prove correct that parts of the AI buildout are excessive. But Amazon’s results suggest that refusing to participate carries its own, potentially greater, cost.

Many companies are regretting recent layoffs that were attributed to artificial intelligence. Studies indicate that automation has not fully replaced human expertise in critical areas. As a result, a significant percentage of employers who reduced staff due to AI are now considering rehiring. This trend highlights a recalibration of workforce strategies, balancing technological adoption with essential human skills. The findings suggest a growing realization that AI's impact on job displacement may be less than initially anticipated.

London, England

https://www.peoplematters.in/news/business/55percent-of-employers-regret-ai-layoffs-gartner-predicts-more-rehires-by-2027-51167

Happened this morning, right when the day started. To all the dorks in here saying they're unsubstantiated rumors? no one is safe from global WFR's for the AI we've been training

So, on to the next bandwagon Jim is jumping on: automation, and hard. AI is suddenly the solution to all our problems. Outsourcing is great, but in 5 years when 85% of white-collar jobs are in India and the remaining 14% are on H1B visas here in America, who is going to replace them?

I wouldn't be too worried; these things go in cycles, and Jim has to look busy and visionary for his boss. What just amazes me is how they haven't caught on that the company's real profit-makers weren't even conceived by him. Zero ideas hatched by him and his team have actually done anything positive.

I'd be a little more concerned with the executive team, their friends and new hires. A criminal has managed training in both Marketing and now oversees Finance training. Look it up—she's been convicted of defrauding companies. But hey, she may be sadistic to employees, but she's a friend of the new CFO, you know, from that tiny car company (or was it a software company? Not sure Lucid even knows...).

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2005/jul/14/advertising1

This company has gone in a very weird direction. We have LL2s with no common sense or understanding of what manufacturing actually looks like, and C-Suite individuals with zero understanding of manufacturing, coming from companies that weren't even best-in-class for their own areas.

DEI was fun while it lasted. Interestingly, a significant portion of the current LL3 and LL4 leadership secured their positions through this initiative. Now, some appear to be distancing themselves from their past involvement, as it has become evident that a few individuals actually we-ponized their influence against others.

Ford — Start treating your people with dignity and respect. Use some common sense, like your parents did, and you might eke out survival. Quit playing politics (you're all terrible at it), or hire some political consultants to help you clean up your act. Fire the incompetent, fire the criminals, and fire the ones that don't embody good, old-fashioned family values and morals. At least show the public you've turned your act around to save yourself a shred of dignity in the community.

Centene: We're "streamlining operational efficiency" and "mission simplify" and blah blah blah by investing in AI!!! (For example, the new contracts with Cognizant.)

Also Centene: Let's post a cr-p ton of Claims Analyst openings in Workday!!!

Unless I'm missing something, is this not contradictory?

"So began the gradual rollback of ... “tokenmaxxing,” the misguided — and ultimately short-lived — trend based on the idea that the solution to every problem is more AI. That view is falling out of favor, both because employers are reckoning with AI’s runaway costs and because workers are realizing that it’s not always the best way to get things done."

bwahahahaha. Someone tell Derek Flowers. Risk is so fu---d. AI is not the solution, but now the workplace is so toxic and the technology is to clunky no one wants to work in Risk.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-31/corporate-america-cracks-down-on-ai-spending-after-rushing-to-powerful-tools

Oracle may use AI to assist in responding to your Service Request. Responses may include mistakes. You are responsible for reviewing and verifying any recommendations before implementing them in your environment.

It's almost as if Oracle is taunting customers and daring them to leave

More revenue declines, Ai talk when will it generate revenue???
But the company is very profitable making 685million. More bullsh-t about cost takeout in GIS. Usual b4llsheet.

Here are my top 8 predictions for the remainder of FY27

1. GC lumped with Korea, SE&I, and Japan. Will help improve GC earnings + makes sense from consumer preference stand point. I’d anticipate some GC roles to go as they’d be duplicative of existing APLA roles
2. Rest of APLA lumped with EMEA. Will help improve EMEA earnings. Same points as above. Will probably eliminate roles in EMEA and have them elsewhere. Makes it easier for long term roles adjustments if roles are outside of Europe. Reduce Europe logistics footprint
3. Innovation cut heavily due to AI (graphic Tees, etc)
4. Planning roles outsourced to India. This is no longer a tech prophecy, it’s not entering the biz
5. Palantir/SwooshIQ engagement increases. Reducing analytics enterprise wide
6. SCPO analytics dissolved (pushed into Biz functions)
7. Increased hiring in NA from reduced roles in NA DCs.
8. September HC reductions from supporting functions

IBM attributed part of its weak quarter to customers redirecting budgets toward servers, storage and memory amid supply constraints and expected price increases.

Microsoft faced the same component pressures—and much greater exposure to AI infrastructure costs—yet reported:

• 18% revenue growth
• 43% Azure growth
• 18% operating-income growth
• $59.3 billion in Microsoft Cloud revenue
• $41 billion of quarterly capital investment

IBM, by comparison, reported:

• 1% total revenue growth
• 5% software growth
• 7% infrastructure decline
• A reduced 4%–5% constant-currency growth outlook

This does not prove IBM customers experienced no budget pressure. It does suggest that memory shortages alone are an incomplete explanation.

Microsoft is absorbing higher infrastructure costs because customers are prioritizing its cloud and AI platforms. IBM appears to be losing spending because customers are prioritizing those platforms instead of IBM’s mainframes and traditional software.

That points less to a temporary supply-chain issue and more to a competitive-positioning problem.

[Microsoft results]
(https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/investor/earnings/fy-2026-q4/press-release-webcast) [IBM investor letter]
(https://newsroom.ibm.com/2026-07-14-Arvind-Krishnas-Letter-to-IBM-Investors) | [Yahoo Finance analysis]
(https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/article/microsofts-41-billion-ai-bet-just-cleared-a-major-test-chart-of-the-day-100000116.html)

Large number of them can be replaced with AI far easier than your lower level SMEs.

Ignore the 25% loss in market value of the company. Look over here at this shiny bauble.

https://www.wsj.com/cio-journal/ibm-claims-new-era-of-quantum-advantage-92e3d5d4

Big Blue is racing to show that its quantum computing business can be profitable following a historic stock tumble

By: Belle Lin | July 30, 2026 6:00 am ET

International Business Machines said Thursday its research shows “quantum advantage”—a point at which quantum computers perform computations beyond conventional ones—and that these results can be rigorously validated.

The findings, which mark a step toward practical application of the nascent technology, were published in a trio of papers by IBM and its research partners. These include the University of Chicago, Japan’s RIKEN national research institute, and the quantum computing software firms Qedma, BlueQubit and Algorithmiq.

“We’re in the quantum advantage era,” said Jay Gambetta, director of IBM Research. “Scientists can trust it. Now it’s moving from people benchmarking the systems to using these for science to look at applications.”

The news comes as Big Blue races to show that its quantum computing business can be profitable.

Earlier this month, the company suffered its biggest share drop in history after it issued a profit warning citing a shift in customer spending from software to AI hardware and memory chips. IBM said the performance of its software and infrastructure business fell short of expectations in the second quarter.

Since then, IBM Chief Executive Arvind Krishna has offered an optimistic take on the company’s future, arguing quantum computing will begin to power its growth in a matter of years. The company’s first-mover advantage in quantum could boost its fortunes the way being a first mover in GPUs did for Nvidia, he recently told The Wall Street Journal.

IBM is going up against tech giants like Microsoft and Google, but also a host of startups in the quantum space.

While IBM is hardly the first to claim quantum advantage—the quantum computing company D-Wave made the claim last year, and Google said it showed “verifiable quantum advantage” in October—Gambetta said IBM’s latest papers are notable for demonstrating that its results are provable.

“They have methods that make sure that what is running on the quantum computer is giving you correct results,” he said.

In the Qedma and IBM paper, for instance, the companies said they showed how quantum computers can be used to explore the physics of materials, and that the results were confirmed using various methods, including on a Quantinuum quantum computer. “Think of this as a new physics that is being demonstrated on a quantum computer where classical methods fail,” Gambetta said.

Unlike traditional computers, where outputs can be validated by running the same problem on other computers, some quantum computer outputs push beyond the limits of what classical computers can verify.

That’s partly why IBM’s latest announcement is significant: The ability to replicate a quantum computer’s results shows that the systems are becoming more reliable and consistent, according to Heather West, an analyst focused on quantum computing at research firm International Data Corp.

Thursday’s news also helps put IBM further along the path to a fault-tolerant quantum computer, a milestone it has promised to achieve by 2029.

For businesses, though, the most significant takeaway is whether practical applications—from solving optimization problems to making breakthroughs in areas like materials science and medicine—will be possible with quantum computers.

Gambetta says IBM’s latest findings are a step in that direction.

“Having a trusted foundation allows you to start to do the application research, and as we inject more capable machines, it will allow us to scale those applications to ones that matter for business,” he said.

IDC’s West described IBM’s results as “another milestone in the way towards being able to use quantum systems to solve complex problems that are beyond the limits of classical compute,” and help solidify the company’s position as a strong player in the quantum market.

But reaching quantum advantage won’t be a singular moment—and certainly not in the way that the release of ChatGPT set off the artificial-intelligence bo-m, West said.

“We’re going to see future announcements that build on top of these,” she added. “Maybe in a month from now, or six months or a year, these particular findings will be overcome by findings that are a little bit more advanced, and that’s the way it should be.”

IBM said it encourages debate over quantum advantage, and Gambetta said he anticipates scientists will come up with newer classical methods and compare them against IBM’s findings. “I’m not going to say they’re bulletproof,” he said.

“What has changed is that we’re in a point where we can get trusted outcomes so that scientific debate can happen,” he added. “Over the next couple years, it will predominantly be a scientific debate, exactly like AI was debated in the universities using GPUs to look at neural networks.”

Visa is implementing significant layoffs, cutting 2,600 jobs, which represents nearly 7% of its total workforce. This decision comes despite the company reporting substantial double-digit revenue growth in its latest financial quarter. The payments giant is strategically realigning its operations to enhance efficiency and integrate artificial intelligence more deeply into its processes. This move by Visa follows similar workforce reductions announced by other California-based companies, including Intel, Uber, and Patreon. These collective actions highlight a trend of restructuring and automation impacting various sectors within the state.

San Francisco, California

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-07-29/california-companies-announce-almost-3-000-more-layoffs

Software firm ServiceNow has initiated a global restructuring, resulting in the dismissal of hundreds of employees. The company stated these layoffs are intended to enhance operational efficiency and streamline the business. While the exact number of affected individuals was not disclosed, it represents a small percentage of the total workforce. This move contrasts with previous statements from CEO Bill McDermott regarding stable employee numbers. ServiceNow is simultaneously increasing hiring for AI-focused positions.

Santa Clara, California

https://www.cnbctv18.com/business/companies/servicenow-cuts-hundreds-of-jobs-as-employees-reveal-waking-up-to-separation-emails-19956563.htm

Israeli gaming firm Papaya is implementing a significant restructuring, resulting in the layoff of approximately 30 employees. This decision stems from the company's need to adapt to a rapidly evolving technology landscape, particularly the widespread integration of artificial intelligence. Papaya also cited challenging global economic conditions, including currency fluctuations, as contributing factors to this organizational adjustment. The company aims to foster a more streamlined and efficient operation to better focus on high-growth areas. These layoffs are part of a broader strategic effort to prepare Papaya for its future development stages.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/hyrsiu7hfg

Layoffs=Outsource to Indian owned companies and blame AI. Wake up folks your kids will not have opportunities.

https://www.outlookbusiness.com/corporate/cognizant-wins-multi-year-centene-deal-that-could-touch-1-billion

I find it very interesting that they are “cutting costs” but just executed a massive contract with an AI company.

So much for transparency 😒

Federal data indicates a rise in planned layoffs for July, primarily affecting the technology and manufacturing sectors. These workforce reductions are attributed to increased uncertainty, the integration of AI, and a desire for greater efficiency. While the overall labor market remains stable with low unemployment, hiring has become more selective. Experts suggest these layoffs represent structural shifts rather than a broad economic decline. The trend points to a cautious hiring environment as companies adapt to evolving industry needs.

U.S.

https://www.newsweek.com/list-of-companies-laying-off-employees-in-july-12128209

Salesforce has recently eliminated approximately 1,000 positions across various departments. This significant workforce reduction is reportedly driven by the company's strategic pivot towards artificial intelligence. The affected roles span marketing, product management, and communication units. This move aligns with Salesforce's increasing reliance on AI tools to enhance operational efficiency. The company has not officially detailed the specific breakdown of these job cuts.

https://www.goodreturns.in/news/tech-layoffs-2026-salesforce-cuts-around-1000-jobs-across-marketing-product-communication-units-1488553.html

Centrica and Monday.com are implementing significant workforce reductions due to evolving customer preferences and the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. Centrica will eliminate 1,300 roles over two years, citing a shift towards digital customer interactions. Monday.com is cutting approximately 620 jobs, about 20% of its global staff, to restructure its business around AI development. Both companies state these changes are necessary to adapt to industry transformations and changing market demands. Concerns have been raised about the impact on vulnerable customers who may struggle with AI-driven services.

London, England

https://www.computing.co.uk/news/2026/ai/centrica-and-monday-com-announce-ai-related-job-cuts

Just my personal opinion, but leaving Teradata sooner rather than later was a blessing. It gave me back my peace of mind. I felt mentally liberated, physically relaxed, regained my confidence without having to mechanically follow AI-prescribed steps, no longer needed to constantly exchange AI-generated feedback with coworkers, and could finally sleep well, enjoy the sunshine, and appreciate the simple things in life.

A significant number of leaders now regret decisions to lay off employees due to AI implementation. Data indicates that 55% of employers who reduced staff for AI reasons now express regret. This is largely due to the realization that institutional knowledge cannot be fully automated. Companies like Ford have already rehired hundreds of engineers to address quality gaps. This trend suggests a broader corporate reevaluation of workforce strategies following initial AI-driven cuts.

United States

https://www.gadgetreview.com/55-percent-of-leaders-regret-ai-layoffs-and-a-major-hiring-reversal-is-here

Visa is reducing its workforce by approximately 7%, impacting 2,600 employees primarily in technology and product roles. CEO Ryan McInerney cited evolving work methods and the influence of artificial intelligence as key factors in this decision. The company is also pursuing new initiatives, including geographic expansion and ventures into areas like stablecoins. These changes are being implemented ahead of the company's fiscal third-quarter earnings report. The move aligns with broader tech industry trends of leveraging AI for automation and cost reduction.

New York, NY

https://www.barrons.com/articles/visa-stock-layoffs-earnings-8325a733

I learnt from my friend that there are certain teams(like his in CLM) who have been allocated a Claude Code subcription. Do you if this is only certain location/teams or is it being pilotted?

Intel is implementing new layoffs within its data center division, impacting employees who supply processors and technology for AI infrastructure. This move occurs despite significant growth in the data center industry and rising demand for AI capabilities. The company stated these changes are part of a strategy to become more focused and efficient. Experts suggest that companies may be using AI as a justification for pre-planned workforce reductions. Ultimately, even booming sectors are not immune to corporate job cuts.

Santa Clara, California

https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/management/intel-layoffs-show-data-center-workers-aren-t-immune-to-corporate-job-cuts

Coming to a Bank near you. In fact, it is already here. Expect more love in the coming months. We are all owners. It's our culture and our people that make us special. AI and P-M are transforming our company. Always do what's "right" Rah Rah Ray Blah blah blah....

When I started as an HVAC tech for Sears Home Services, I was hired over the phone, sight unseen, and my orientation was over zoom. Until that first video call, I was kinda thinking this was all some foreign scam to get my SSN and bank information and there was no job. I had never heard of "Transformco." Then a tow truck showed up one day and dropped off a Ford Transit van at my house, and I started getting deliveries of appliance parts and tools. They had me ride with another tech in my area for 2 weeks to train and then gave me my own routes. After that point I never saw another Sears employee again. Just me and the AI chatbot fixing washing machines all over 8 rural counties, 5 days a week. It was kind of like a scifi movie where the main character is alone on a spaceship with no one to talk to but the robot that cleans the toilet. A cool thing about the AI running everything was that if you reasoned with it a certain way, you could make it take calls off your route you didn't want to go to, or even shorten your day to end at noon.

I "called in" a lot (which is literally just a button you push in the app you have to use for your route), but as far as I could tell no one was there to keep track of or reprimand my attendance

After about a year, I got an offer for better pay and took it, and I put in my notice. Ran my last route in January of this year, and parked my van in the driveway with the keys on the seat for when they sent the tow truck. They never did, and per my state's abandoned vehicle law, I went to the courthouse to report a vehicle abandoned on my property for over 6 months, filled out a claim form and today I got the title in the mail! Outright and fee simple.
All this to say, you guys still out there working have reached the point where Lampert and the Colonel have hollowed out the company enough for it to basically be a free for all. Take advantage of the spoils while you can!

Amazon built an AGI lab 18 months ago. Now it's gone.
The team was trying to build agentic AI.
Amazon opened the lab in December 2024 with high hopes.
Both of its top leaders quit before the latest cuts came.
The work was folded into a fresh round of layoffs.
Amazon would rather sell AI tools than build the smartest one.
The giant that wants to power everyone's AI for $200B.

Dan, not a new idea but BAU and AI Connect strategy launched way before you joined buddy.

https://telcomagazine.com/news/verizon-signs-us-1bn-deal-to-connect-googles-data-centres

Rawool not even hiding it anymore, the new "President ai and innovation" was his intern out of college! Surely this has everything to do with competence and nothing to do with placing your own people to high paid positions while people who have dedicated their lives to this place get nothing. The jokes write themselves.