99% Of CEOs Expect AI Layoffs In The Next 2 Years. Here Are 5 Ways To Be Prepared
99% Of CEOs Expect AI Layoffs In The Next 2 Years. Here Are 5 Ways To Be Prepared
Publish Date: 2026-06-22 03:49:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
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Is your career path ready for AI?
As the debate continues on whether artificial intelligence will create more jobs than it destroys, now is the moment to better prepare yourself. While AI leaders such as Sam Altman continue to argue that fears of widespread job displacement are overstated, a new survey suggests many CEOs are preparing for a very different reality.
In Mercer’s 2026 Global Talent Trends Report, 825 C-suite executives and 1,650 HR leaders were surveyed from around the world. The biggest aha? 99% of CEOs expect AI to result in at least some workforce reductions over the next two years. While only 32% believe their organizations have figured out how to successfully combine human talent and artificial intelligence.
The findings arrive as companies across industries accelerate enterprise investments in AI. They also come at a particularly challenging time for younger workers. A recent New York Federal Reserve report found labor market conditions for workers ages 22 to 27 have deteriorated, while a separate Oliver Wyman study found the percentage of CEOs planning to reduce junior-level positions doubled from 2025 to 2026.
The question for workers isn’t whether AI is coming; it’s whether they’re ready for it. It’s whether workers are preparing for it.
Here are five ways employees can position themselves for tomorrow’s AI-driven workplace.
1. Become The Person Who Knows How To Use AI Vs. Competing Against It
Resisting technological change rarely leads to rewards.
When spreadsheets arrived, accountants who learned Excel thrived. When digital marketing emerged, marketers who embraced online analytics gained an advantage. AI is no different.
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