AI-driven layoffs are accelerating. The people who weather them best aren’t the ones with the biggest networks; they’re the ones who invested in their relationships.
In 2025, companies directly attributed 55,000 job cuts to artificial intelligence—more than 12 times the figure from just two years earlier. In 2026, the pace has only accelerated. Block eliminated 4,000 roles in a single announcement. Amazon cut 16,000 corporate positions. Meta, Atlassian, Pinterest . . . the list grows weekly.
