US AI-Attributed Job Cuts Reach 116,175 in Eight Months
AI-linked announcements represented about 22% of US job cuts from January through August 2026.
US employers attributed 116,175 announced job cuts to AI between January and August 2026, according to figures reported by BrigenAI. That represented about 22% of all announced US cuts and was more than twice the AI-linked total recorded in 2025, even as overall layoffs fell 41% year over year.
Customer support, back-office processing and administrative roles were among the hardest-hit areas. The findings identify automation and AI deployment as major drivers, particularly for high-volume, repeatable work, while noting that broader economic conditions also affected workforce decisions.
The pattern is visible in customer operations: Salesforce reduced support headcount from about 9,000 to 5,000 and stopped backfilling some support-engineer roles, according to the same report. Separately, US labour projections cited by Credit and Collection News anticipate a 5.3% decline in customer-service representative jobs from 2025 to 2035, linked to automation and self-service.
What employers should do
For an Australian owner considering similar changes, quantify which duties AI removes before selecting roles for redundancy. Consult employees before decisions are final, test genuine redeployment into remaining or newly created work, and document why the role—not the person—is no longer required. AI savings do not remove the need to establish a genuine redundancy and follow applicable consultation obligations.
- US employers attributed 116,175 announced job cuts to AI from January to August 2026.
- AI-linked cuts represented about 22% of all announced US cuts and more than doubled 2025’s total.
- Customer support, back-office processing and administrative roles were among the hardest hit.
- The findings identify AI and automation as major drivers alongside broader economic conditions.
For employers: Before removing roles in an AI restructure, map the duties being automated, consult before deciding, assess genuine redeployment options, and document why the role is redundant rather than assuming AI adoption alone justifies dismissal.
Sources: The Real AI Layoff Numbers: Who Is Actually Losing Jobs to AI in 2026 · AI Is Causing Call Center Jobs to Decline, Shows Data
General information for employers, not legal advice. Reporting summarised from the linked sources; confirm details with the primary source.