Rejection of AI in IT: Layoffs are three times closer than they seem
Fresh data from a Gallup survey has revealed a troubling trend for tech professionals: those who use artificial intelligence less than once a month face a risk of layoffs three times higher than their colleagues who use AI at least monthly. This is not just a statistic—it is a signal of a fundamental shift in the labor market.
The study showed that job retention today depends not only on position or specialization, but also on the willingness to integrate AI into daily tasks. Among laid-off employees, 62% admitted to using AI no more than once a year or not at all. For comparison, among those who kept their jobs, this figure is 50%. Meanwhile, 28% of employed workers actively use AI, while among those who lost their jobs, only 22% do. The gap is statistically significant and persists even when adjusted for age, education, and industry.
Tech sector under pressure
This trend is particularly pronounced in the technology sector, where the share of laid-off workers is 13% compared to 6% among those still employed. Within this group, the risk for "infrequent AI users" is three times higher than for those who use the technology regularly. In other industries, the link between AI usage and the likelihood of layoffs is also evident, but it is most pronounced in the tech industry.
Notably, only 1% of respondents directly attribute layoffs to the adoption of artificial intelligence, although 21% of those surveyed reported layoffs in early 2026. This suggests that AI acts not so much as a direct cause of layoffs, but as a marker of an employee's adaptability to change.
Expert commentary: The labor market in the technology sector is undergoing a painful transformation. AI is becoming not just a tool, but a filter that weeds out those who are not ready for continuous learning. Ignoring this technology is not a matter of principle, but a matter of professional survival. The coming quarters will show how stringent this selection process will be.