Nearly all corporate executives surveyed by Mercer consulting firm expect artificial intelligence to lead to job cuts in their companies within two years. This is the conclusion reached by the authors of Mercer's "Global Talent Trends 2026" report, which vividly reflects growing concerns about how AI is reshaping the job market—even though real data on its impact on productivity remains mixed, Gizmodo reports.
The study, based on responses from 825 C-suite executives and 1,650 HR directors worldwide, revealed that 99% of executives expect at least partial workforce reductions by 2028. Additionally, 98% said they are considering organizational structure changes during the same period, while 65% believe that between 11% and 30% of employees will be redeployed or reskilled due to AI implementation.
Young Professionals Suffer the MostYoung professionals aged 22 to 27 are at the greatest risk, as companies automate administrative, analytical, and operational tasks that have traditionally served as entry-level career points for recent graduates, Tomshardware reports.
A separate survey by Oliver Wyman showed that the share of CEOs planning to cut junior positions skyrocketed in a single year—from 17% to 43%, with 33% of executives shifting their workforce toward mid-level positions. Instead of mass layoffs of existing staff, many companies are simply shutting off the influx of new talent at the entry stage of their careers.
Refusing to Use AI Becomes a Layoff Risk FactorA Gallup poll of more than 23,000 U.S. workers published in June 2026 found that tech industry employees who use AI less than once a month have an 18% predicted probability of being laid off—three times higher than the 6% risk for those who use AI regularly. As reported by The Straits Times, this gap persists even when accounting for age, education level, and employment sector. Outside the tech industry, rare AI usage also increases the risk of dismissal, though the gap is less pronounced there, AI Weekly reports.
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