AI Investment Surge Coupled with Employee Support Cuts Poses Job Risks

Businesses are pouring billions into AI to boost productivity and cut costs—and to fund it, they’re slashing hiring, training, and employee support. Headcount isn’t safe either: as Jack Dorsey’s Block recently demonstrated, a growing number of executives are citing AI as justification for substantial layoffs .

Recommended Video That approach may lift short-term margins . But it is a dangerous long-term strategy—and the data makes clear why. As president of SHRM Foundation —the philanthropic arm of the largest HR association in the world— I’ve seen firsthand how organizations thrive when they invest in human potential alongside AI.

Technology can accelerate work. Competitive advantage comes from the judgment, adaptability, and trust that only people provide. The gap is glaring. Nearly three-quarters of knowledge workers globally now use AI at work , yet 60% say they have not received formal training to use it effectively.