Part 2/10:
Recent data from Fortune and Challenger Gray indicates that, so far in 2025, roughly 800,000 layoffs have been reported. Government job cuts lead the statistics with 308,000 layoffs, followed by market-related economic downsizing at 171,000, and bankruptcies at 120,000. Interestingly, only about 20,000 of these layoffs have been attributed directly to AI and automation—an initially reassuring number. However, a notable spike occurred in July, with 10,000 layoffs linked explicitly to AI.
This sharp rise suggests a shift in how companies are framing these layoffs and points toward increased AI integration within workplaces. Yet, many experts argue that AI's role in job cuts might be overstated or used as an easy explanation for broader financial pressures.