Technology Downgrade

Two out of five business leaders have laid off employees due to investments in artificial intelligence, according to Orgvue's 2025 report. Human-First, Machine Enhanced, the result of a survey of more than 1,160 global business leaders, reveals that nearly three out of five respondents acknowledge that the dismissals were a mistake. Such misguided choices occur when leaders do not understand which roles are best for AI augmentation versus human expertise.

According to Workplace Intelligence, premature workforce reductions are causing companies to grapple with diminished institutional knowledge. Additionally, 54 percent of executives cite poor workforce planning as a barrier to organizational growth, notes The 2024 Kelly Global Re:work report. Kelly OCG, a consulting firm, notes that 42 percent of respondents acknowledge they are not fully leveraging their employees' potential before resorting to technological sources.

The shift toward AI also affects talent acquisition strategies. According to SignalFire's 2025 State of Talent report, entry-level hiring in the technology sector has declined by 50 percent from five years ago as companies prioritize experienced professionals who can navigate AI-integrated environments.

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 indicates that most employers anticipate AI and information processing technologies will transform their business by 2030, yet many lack a clear strategy for workforce adaptation. To make strides toward workforce preparation, nine global corporations, including Cisco and IBM, published the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, which reports that a majority of technology jobs will transform due to AI advancements. Consortium members have committed to training more than 95 million individuals globally in AI-related skills during the next decade.

To stay up to date and engage employees, The Transformational Opportunity of AI on ICT Jobs suggests businesses should:

• Champion continuous learning cultures.

• Implement personalized development plans.

• Foster internal mobility.

• Integrate AI literacy into training programs.