99% Of CEOs Expect AI Layoffs In The Next 2 Years. Here Are 5 Ways To Be Prepared
99% Of CEOs Expect AI Layoffs In The Next 2 Years. Here Are 5 Ways To Be Prepared
Publish Date: 2026-06-22 03:49:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points. Well dressed beautiful mid adult businesswoman working from home officegettyIs your career path ready for AI?As the debate continues on whether artificial intelligence will create more jobs than it destroys, now is the moment to better prepare yourself. While AI leaders such as Sam Altman continue to argue that fears of widespread job displacement are overstated, a new survey suggests many CEOs are preparing for a very different reality.In Mercer’s 2026 Global Talent Trends Report, 825 C-suite executives and 1,650 HR leaders were surveyed from around the world. The biggest aha? 99% of CEOs expect AI to result in at least some workforce reductions over the next two years. While only 32% believe their organizations have figured out how to successfully combine human talent and artificial intelligence.The findings arrive as companies across industries accelerate enterprise investments in AI. They also come at a particularly challenging time for younger workers. A recent New York Federal Reserve report found labor market conditions for workers ages 22 to 27 have deteriorated, while a separate Oliver Wyman study found the percentage of CEOs planning to reduce junior-level positions doubled from 2025 to 2026.The question for workers isn’t whether AI is coming; it’s whether they’re ready for it. It’s whether workers are preparing for it. Here are five ways employees can position themselves for tomorrow’s AI-driven workplace.1. Become The Person Who Knows How To Use AI Vs. Competing Against ItResisting technological change rarely leads to rewards.When spreadsheets arrived, accountants who learned Excel thrived. When digital marketing emerged, marketers who embraced online analytics gained an advantage. AI is no different.Female computer programmer works on complex software development tasks at her home office late into the night. Software developer, artificial intelligence and programming concept.gettyThe most valuable employees over the next decade will likely be those who know how to leverage AI to become more productive, creative, and efficient.Rather than asking, “Can AI do my job?” workers should begin asking, “How can AI help me do my job better?”Understanding prompting, automation tools, AI research, workflow integration, and AI-powered design may soon become baseline professional skills.2. Double Down On Human SkillsWhile AI continues to improve efficiency, many capabilities remain distinctly human.Human skills are now superpowers. From leadership, empathy, and relationship-building to negotiation, influence, and perhaps most importantly, judgment.Employees who can lead teams, manage clients, resolve conflicts, inspire trust, and navigate ambiguity may become increasingly valuable as technical tasks become more automated.The future workforce may reward emotional intelligence as much as artificial intelligence.Multiracial group of entrepreneurs discussing during coffee break at business seminar. Group of people standing and using smart phones in the corridor of a business center. Networking concept.getty3. Expertise > ExperienceOne of the greatest risks for entry-level workers is that many traditional “learning jobs” may disappear.Historically, junior employees gained experience through repetitive tasks such as data gathering, scheduling, research, report generation, and administrative support. Many of those activities are the functions AI performs most efficiently, which means you can no longer rely solely on years of experience to create value.Instead, focus on developing expertise and becoming known for solving a specific problem. Another opportunity is to master a particular technology and build a reputation around a niche skill.Specialists will increasingly become harder to replace than generalists.4. Invest In Your Personal Brand And Professional NetworkWorkers who build strong professional relationships are more likely to hear about new opportunities, referrals, partnerships, and emerging roles. This is known as the ‘hidden job market’.Whats Your Brand? paper signgettyA visible personal brand can create career insurance.Whether through spending more time on LinkedIn, attending industry conferences, appearing on podcasts, or writing articles on Substack, employees should focus on becoming known for their expertise.In an AI economy, personal reputation may become one of the most durable competitive advantages.Algorithms cannot replicate trust.5. Become A Continual LearnerPerhaps the most important preparation strategy is embracing lifelong learning.The employees most vulnerable will be those who assume today’s skills will remain relevant tomorrow. Successful professionals will need to treat learning as an ongoing responsibility rather than an occasional activity.That may mean earning online or in-person certifications, constantly experimenting with AI platforms, and investing in attending industry-relevant events.University, hands and closeup of a graduation certificate for success, achievement or goal. Scholarship, college and zoom of graduate, student or person holding degree or diploma scroll for educationgettyThe workers who adapt fastest may ultimately benefit most.History shows that periods of technological disruption create both new opportunities and new challenges. The workers who succeed will be those who learn fastest, adapt quickest, and understand how to combine uniquely human capabilities with AI tools.In the new age of work, the goal shouldn’t be to outrun the technology; instead, use this time to tighten up and learn to run alongside it.
