A recent study found that the likelihood of layoffs for technical workers who rarely use artificial intelligence (AI) is three times higher than for regular users. According to a report by Bloomberg News on June 18, the polling agency Gallup revealed that among U.S. technical workers, those who use AI at least once a month have a layoff probability of about 6%. In contrast, those who use it less frequently face an 18% chance of being laid off, three times higher than regular users.
The survey, conducted in February among more than 23,000 U.S. workers, included 660 individuals who reported losing their jobs. Gallup estimated layoff probabilities by considering usage frequency, industry, age, and education level.
In other sectors, the layoff risk for non-AI users was also relatively high, but the gap was smaller compared to technical jobs. Gallup noted that employees who do not utilize relevant tools may become more vulnerable in the labor market.
Companies are increasingly assessing job candidates' AI skills during the hiring process. The Gallup report stated that the ability to integrate AI into work could influence decisions about retaining staff during workforce reductions.
However, it is difficult to definitively attribute layoffs directly to AI. Only about 1% of laid-off workers cited AI as a direct cause. The most frequently mentioned reasons for job loss included organizational restructuring, cost-cutting, and economic conditions.
Jim Harter, Gallup's chief scientist for workplace management and wellbeing, emphasized that actual productivity improvements are more important than the frequency of AI usage.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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