In a long‑running look at AI adoption and employment, Gallup data indicate that workers who do not use artificial intelligence (AI) are more likely to be laid off in 2026 than those who use AI with any regularity. The survey results show a pattern where non‑AI users among those who have already faced job loss were more prevalent than non‑AI users among currently employed workers.
Among laid‑off employees, Gallup reported that 62% were non‑AI users who used AI only once per year or less. By comparison, among workers who remained employed, 50% were non‑AI users, with 22% described as infrequent AI users who use it only a few times per month or per year. The data underscore a division between how much workers rely on AI tools and their exposure to employer workforce changes.
The research also highlights that a subgroup of workers who used AI rarely—specifically tech workers who used AI on a monthly basis or less—were notably more likely to have been laid off. In this group, 18% faced layoffs, versus 6% among tech workers who used AI at least monthly. This difference appears even after adjusting for age, education, industry, and the time elapsed since a layoff, according to Gallup.
Gallup noted that overall, American workers continue to report employer downsizing, and many respondents do not attribute these cuts directly to AI or automation. The survey shows roughly 21% of U.S. employees reported layoffs at their company in the first quarter of 2026, a figure that remained relatively steady after a surge in reported layoffs from mid‑2022 through 2025.
The pattern of AI use and job vulnerability is more pronounced within the tech sector, where analysts say layoffs have been affected by broader restructuring. News within the sample includes cases where large employers publicly stating that AI is not replacing jobs may still be restructuring roles or teams as part of efficiency efforts. In one notable instance, Microsoft announced the elimination of 4,800 positions while insisting that those jobs were not being replaced by AI.
Industry observers caution that workers who are AI non‑users may be more vulnerable in a shifting labor market, even as executives argue that AI adoption can complement human work rather than simply substitute for it. The data reflect attitudes among workers about why layoffs occur and how AI factors into corporate workforce decisions, while most respondents say AI was not cited by name as the primary reason for layoffs in their own experiences.
Overall, the Gallup findings suggest that AI adoption correlates with perceived job security in the current environment, even as the broader picture shows ongoing downsizing across sectors and a cautious stance toward automation’s impact on employment.
