Rejecting AI: The risk of dismissal for IT specialists triples
The labor market in the technology sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Data from a large-scale survey shows that specialists who use artificial intelligence tools less than once a month face a risk of layoffs three times higher than their colleagues who actively use AI. This is not just a statistic—it is a signal of a paradigm shift in professional value.
The study revealed a clear correlation: among those who lost their jobs, 62% either did not use AI at all or used it no more than once a year. For comparison, among those who retained their positions, this figure is 50%. Meanwhile, 28% of employed specialists reported regular use of AI, whereas among the laid off, only 22% did. The gap is statistically significant and persists even after adjustments for age, education, and industry.
Where AI-related layoffs have become widespread
The trend is particularly pronounced in the technology sector, where the share of laid-off workers is 13% of total employment (compared to 6% on average across the market). Within this group, the risk for AI "refuseniks" turned out to be three times higher. Notably, only 1% of respondents cited AI as the direct cause of layoffs, although 21% of workers already reported layoffs in early 2026.
AI acts not so much as a cause but as a marker of adaptability. Companies undergoing optimization first part ways with those who have not integrated new technologies into their routines. In other sectors, this connection is less pronounced, but the trend is observable everywhere.
My analysis: The market no longer asks, "Do you know AI?"—it asks, "Do you use it daily?" Ignoring technology is becoming a professional risk factor comparable to skill obsolescence. The coming quarters will show how rigid this divide becomes.