Experts Urge Workers to AI-Proof Jobs as Automation Cuts US Payroll Growth by 16,000
Updated
Updated · CNN · May 22
Experts Urge Workers to AI-Proof Jobs as Automation Cuts US Payroll Growth by 16,000
5 articles · Updated · CNN · May 22
Goldman Sachs estimates AI has already reduced US monthly payroll growth by about 16,000 jobs over the past year, with layoffs at companies including Meta, Nike, Intuit and UPS sharpening worker anxiety.
Knowledge work faces the heaviest pressure because AI excels at repeatable cognitive tasks; experts say workers should first audit their roles to identify rule-based duties most exposed to automation.
Skills tied to physical presence, social judgment and original idea generation remain harder to automate, making healthcare, hospitality, skilled trades, sales and creative direction relatively more defensible.
Experts also advise workers to use AI rather than resist it—learning chatbots, coding tools and AI agents that can automate tasks—while noting humans will still be needed to review, guide and handle higher-value work.
The broader outlook is job redesign rather than full replacement: routine tasks may shift to AI, while new roles and more rewarding human-led work emerge around it.
Are companies using AI as a scapegoat, or is a massive technological replacement of human jobs already underway?
With AI automating entry-level tasks, what does the first step on the career ladder even look like now?
The Immediate and Lasting Impact of AI on U.S. Jobs: Displacement, Inequality, and the Policy Response (2025-2026)
Overview
Between 2025 and 2026, job displacement accelerated across many industries, with artificial intelligence (AI) often cited as a key factor. Over 30 companies announced layoffs, and more than 100 others filed WARN notices, signaling further job cuts. While some companies, like Block and Coinbase, directly linked layoffs to AI, tech giants such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Google continued to invest heavily in AI and hire for specialized roles. This created a sharp divide: demand for AI talent surged, but many other jobs became redundant, highlighting a major shift in the labor market driven by rapid AI adoption and sectoral changes.