Many jobs could be cut in 2026 because companies are using more artificial intelligence instead of people, according to a new survey reported by The Wall Street Journal. The survey shows that AI’s biggest impact may be job losses, not chatbots or fake videos, as companies focus on saving money by cutting staff.
In November, executive search firm Spencer Stuart surveyed 90 chief marketing officers about how strongly they plan to use AI to reduce employee numbers. More than one in three executives said they expect to give layoffs in the next 12 to 24 months as they bring in more computer agents, according to the Spencer Stuart survey.
AI job cuts hit big companies first
Job cuts look even worse at very large companies, where AI use is growing faster. Nearly half of executives at companies valued above $20 billion said they are planning major job cuts. The survey mainly looked at marketing jobs such as copywriters, graphic designers, social media managers, data analysts, and public relations workers.
These survey results make the job situation look darker for American workers who are already facing a tough economy. Last week, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said 7.8 million Americans are unemployed, which is the highest number seen in four years, according to official government data, cited by Daily Mail report. At the same time, many large tech companies have already laid off thousands of workers, adding pressure to the job market, according to recent company announcements.
US unemployment already at four-year high
Hiring across many industries has slowed down, showing that companies are being more careful about adding new workers. Private jobs data also show that small businesses are quickly cutting staff to manage costs. Because of all this, the survey suggests the job outlook could get even worse in the coming months and into 2026. Executives gave three main reasons for planning layoffs.
One reason is to fix over-hiring that happened during the pandemic when companies hired too many workers. Another reason is to prepare for a slowing economy, as leaders expect weaker growth ahead. The third reason is to build and launch more AI tools inside their companies, which reduces the need for human workers, executives said, as stated by Daily Mail report. There are more than 6 million Americans working in marketing roles today, showing how many people could be affected.
Top CEOs warn workers to learn AI skills
Big business leaders are also warning that job cuts will increase for workers who do not learn how to use AI tools, based on public comments from executives. “AI will eliminate jobs,” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned during an interview by Fox. Jamie Dimon also advised workers to build strong skills, saying, “My advice to people would be critical thinking. Learn skills. Learn how to be good at communicating and how to write. You’ll have plenty of jobs,” according to Fox Business.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, Ford CEO Jim Farley, and Amazon HR chief Beth Galetti have all shared similar warnings about AI and job losses. Not everyone agrees with these warnings, and some experts say the fears are being overstated, according to the Daily Mail.
AI ads rise as experts debate job loss fears
Abigail Wright, a senior business advisor at the National Chamber of Commerce, said the warnings about AI-driven job losses are exaggerated. “The real transformation is task-level, not job-level,” Wright said, meaning AI changes how work is done, not always who does it, according to the Daily Mail. She added, “Workers who learn how to direct fast AI, instead of compete with it, will be the most resilient”. Wright also said most marketing jobs are still safe for now and are not being fully replaced by AI. She explained that AI is mainly helping companies make faster editing and content decisions instead of removing workers.
Even so, Americans are already seeing AI-created marketing in real life, showing how fast the change is happening. This year, Coca-Cola’s famous “Holidays Are Coming” ad campaign was created using artificial intelligence. Coca-Cola used AI again this year to generate the holiday advertisement instead of relying fully on human teams.
Many other major brands have also used AI-generated video ads, showing the trend is spreading fast. These brands include McDonald’s, Amazon, Heinz, BMW, Nike, Adobe, Salesforce, Starbucks, Nutella, and Svedka, as noted by Daily Mail report.