Many employees are grappling with a pressing concern: Is my job at risk due to AI? This anxiety manifests in meetings, over Slack, and during social gatherings.
While CEOs project optimism, stating generative AI will enhance productivity and streamline operations, the reality they convey privately often suggests a different story: technology isn’t just a helper, it’s a potential replacement.
Let’s delve into what influential tech leaders are genuinely saying in their internal communications and blog posts.
1. Amazon’s Andy Jassy: A Shift Towards Fewer Employees
Recently, Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy shared a company-wide update that initially seems reassuring but carries an unsettling undertone.
He stated that as generative AI becomes more widespread, “we will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today.” His timeline? The next few years—suggesting a timeframe as immediate as 2026 to 2028. This shift could lead to significant reductions in the corporate workforce as Amazon leverages AI for efficiency gains.
2. Duolingo’s Luis von Ahn: Automation Is Key
Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn took a direct approach in a memo posted on LinkedIn, stating, “Headcount will only be given if a team cannot automate more of their work.” This blunt directive indicates that hiring freezes are a certainty unless jobs remain beyond automation’s reach.
3. Shopify’s Tobi Lütke: Rethinking Team Structures
Shopify’s CEO Tobi Lütke shared similar insights on X, stating, “Before asking for more headcount, teams must demonstrate why they cannot accomplish their goals using AI.” His challenge to managers is to envision their teams with AI integrated, reinforcing the notion that human roles are becoming the last option for businesses.
— tobi lutke (@tobi) April 7, 2025
The consensus among these leaders? Automation is now the standard practice, not an exception.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has noted that already, AI carries out 50% of the work at his company, and other tech leaders, like Klarna’s CEO, have cited workforce reductions exceeding 40% thanks to AI integration.
The Current Reality: AI is Here
This isn’t a futuristic concept; it’s unfolding today. The rapid advancements in AI technology are a game changer. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted that recent “reasoning models” can tackle intricate, multi-step problems, bringing AI capabilities close to those of highly educated individuals.
Major AI labs are vigorously training models to perform tasks within various sectors. Employees are already working alongside AI, refining its output to achieve professional-grade quality. The timeline Jassy referred to may arrive sooner than anticipated.
Rising Layoff Trends
The tech industry is witnessing alarming layoff trends. In 2024, over 551 tech companies let go of nearly 152,922 employees. This year, the pace has quickened; within the first half of 2025, around 151 companies have already laid off more than 63,823 individuals. If this trend continues, the average layoff per company could triple compared to 2024.
While no definitive link exists tying all these job losses to AI, this wave coincides with sustained economic growth. The Nasdaq recently peaked, and the tech sector dominates the market yet is still shedding workers at an unprecedented rate.
Tech leaders may not openly declare that employees are being replaced, but their messages are clear through the statistics.
AI has already infiltrated various sectors, and companies are implementing strategies to automate more roles progressively. To understand the future of the workforce, focus on what’s conveyed in the CEOs’ internal memos and updates. They reveal a truth many are hesitant to voice.
What is the impact of AI on jobs today? With automation becoming the norm, workers must adapt to ensure their roles remain relevant. Achieving fundamentally new ways of working will be crucial as this wave of change continues.
Have you wondered how AI is transforming various industries? The technology is evolving quickly, reshaping operational landscapes across sectors.
Companies are increasingly relying on AI—are your skills aligned with this shift? Reskilling will be essential for those aiming to thrive in an automated environment.
At what pace are companies adopting AI solutions? As demonstrated by recent trends, the integration of AI is becoming remarkably expedited, affecting job markets sooner than anticipated.
To explore more insights like these, keep digging into related content on Moyens I/O. The landscape is changing fast, and staying informed is the key to navigating the future.