A new global survey by Mercer (the world's leading human resources and welfare consulting firm in the US, a unit that regularly conducts research on job trends and human resource management) shows that AI is becoming a central factor in business development strategies, while increasing concerns about the risk of job cuts in the coming years.
The survey surveyed about 12,000 people worldwide, including senior executives, HR professionals and workers.
The results show that more than 99% of business leaders believe that AI will cause labor force cuts to a certain extent in the next two years.
In addition, nearly 98% of CEOs said that their businesses are planning to restructure or change operational models in the near future, with a focus on integrating AI and automation into business processes.
This trend has clearly appeared in many large technology companies. Businesses such as Amazon, Atlassian, Block, Fiverr, Pinterest and Snap have announced personnel cuts associated with AI application strategies. It is estimated that about 50,000 jobs have been affected by AI-related streamlining programs in 2025 alone.
However, not all experts believe that AI will lead to a widespread job crisis.
David Solomon - CEO of multinational investment bank Goldman Sachs, said that technological revolutions in history often both eliminate some old jobs and create new jobs and opportunities.
This view is also reinforced by research by the Harvard Business School. Researchers believe that generative AI is increasing recruitment demand in positions where humans and AI can coordinate effectively. Meanwhile, the largest level of personnel cuts is currently concentrated in fields such as technology and finance.
However, anxiety is still spreading among the workforce. A survey by Mercer shows that only about 1/3 of business leaders believe that their organization has found an effective way to combine humans and machines on a large scale.
In addition, more than 1/3 of surveyed employees said they may consider quitting if they feel behind colleagues who are proficient in AI tools.
This shows that improving AI skills is becoming an increasingly important requirement for workers in the new era.
