Artificial intelligence is changing the global job market quickly, and new data shows rising risks for workers.
On April 6, 2026, Goldman Sachs economist Elsie Peng released a report based on U.S. labor data. It said AI removes about 16,000 jobs every month in the United States. That equals roughly 192,000 jobs each year.
Only 18 days later, Meta and Microsoft warned that this is just the beginning of a long shift in employment. They said AI will reshape how companies operate.
On April 24, 2026, both companies announced major layoffs. Together, they cut more than 20,000 jobs. Meta plans to reduce about 10% of its global workforce, or around 8,000 employees. It will also leave 6,000 roles unfilled. Moreover, Microsoft introduced a voluntary retirement program for about 8,750 workers in the U.S. This is the first program of its kind in its history.
Since 2020, tech layoffs have passed 900,000 worldwide. Therefore, the pace of change is accelerating. Additionally, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that 2026 will be a turning point. He believes AI will transform how people work in almost every industry.
Big tech companies are also increasing investment in AI. Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon plan to spend about $700 billion in 2026 alone. They are not cutting costs. Instead, they are redesigning their workforce around automation.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella called the company’s 228,000 employees a “constraint” in the AI race. Tools like GitHub Copilot now write about 40% of code in supported systems. Meta’s AI advertising platform already generates most of its $160 billion revenue with limited human input.
Goldman Sachs explains two effects of AI. First is substitution, where AI replaces jobs. This removes about 25,000 roles per month. Second is augmentation, where AI increases productivity. This creates about 9,000 new jobs monthly. The net loss is about 16,000 jobs each month.
Customer service, entry-level coding, writing, and legal support roles are most exposed. Meanwhile, AI engineers, cybersecurity experts, and senior architects are in high demand.
Ultimately, Experts warn that up to 300 million jobs could be affected globally over the next decade, adapting to the key challenge.
