From Cisco to Block, more companies are pointing to AI when unveiling job cuts :: WRAL.com

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NEW YORK (AP) — Layoffs have been piling up recently, especially in the tech world. And the words “artificial intelligence” are accompanying more and more notices about the cuts.

That’s unnerving workers across sectors, with many fearing what the rapid adoption of AI will mean for their job prospects. Even if AI isn’t replacing people directly, some businesses have announced reductions as they redirect money to the technology or tout new ways to streamline operations — raising alarm about what might be left over for payrolls and future openings.

But corporate explanations are often very vague. AI is rarely the sole reason companies cite when taking layoffs, with most still pointing to wider corporate restructuring or macroeconomic headwinds. Some executives have also suggested that, while they’re making cuts to move around resources now, AI and its demand could open up new roles down the road. Still, it’s hard to know if that’s the real driver or just the message a business wants to tell Wall Street.

Regardless, here are some companies that have announced layoffs recently while at least nodding to the role of AI along the way.

Cisco

On Wednesday, Cisco Systems announced plans to cut under 4,000 jobs, or about 5% of its workforce. The announcement arrived the same day the tech giant unveiled record revenue for its third fiscal quarter, amid soaring demand for its AI tools and infrastructure.

CEO Chunk Robbins told employees in a memo that “the companies that will win in the AI era will be those with focus, urgency, and the discipline to continuously shift investment” — and that meant “making hard…

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