Major corporate leaders have begun acknowledging AI’s impact on workforce planning. In June, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said AI would “reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains.” Meanwhile, Ford CEO Jim Farley was reported to be planning to automate up to half of the company's white-collar roles.
Still, some HR executives argue that AI is not yet replacing jobs outright but changing the nature of work. “There are roles that can be significantly changed by AI,” Challenger noted, “but I’m not talking to too many HR leaders who say AI is replacing jobs,” News.Az reports, citing foreign media
Others suggest that AI is reshaping hiring strategies behind the scenes. “There’s basically a blank check to go out and buy these AI tools,” Josh Bersin, CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, told NBC News. “Then they go out and say: ‘No more hiring.’ So that immediately freezes the job market.”
As AI tools become more capable and accessible, analysts warn that structural job displacement may accelerate—particularly for white-collar roles—unless economic conditions improve and companies find ways to balance automation with workforce needs.
