Overview
- ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott warned graduate unemployment could top 30 percent as AI agents take routine early‑career tasks, noting his platform now automates most customer service workflows.
- At least 23,000 tech jobs have been cut in 2026, including Atlassian’s 1,600 roles (10 percent), Block’s roughly 4,000, WiseTech’s 2,000, and additional reductions at Amazon, Meta, Salesforce, eBay and Pinterest.
- Executives at Atlassian, Block and WiseTech cited AI-driven productivity and new skill mixes for reorganizations, while critics labeled some justifications as AI‑washing tied to cost-cutting and past overhiring.
- Deloitte and Gartner report a wide adoption gap, with only a small share of companies ready for large‑scale AI deployment or seeing transformational returns.
- New analyses find higher AI exposure for well‑paid digital roles, and Brookings/NBER research indicates most highly exposed workers can adapt, though about 6.1 million face high exposure with low adaptability concentrated in clerical jobs.