Heavy AI Spenders Are Adding Workers, Not Cutting Them
Heavy AI Spenders Are Adding Workers, Not Cutting Them
Publish Date: 2026-06-30 17:01:00
Source Domain: www.pymnts.com
- Companies that spend more on generative artificial intelligence (AI) are growing their workforces significantly faster than those spending less, according to a study by Ramp and Revelio Labs.
- High-intensity AI adopters saw a 10.2% increase in headcount over two years post-adoption. Entry-level employment in these companies increased by 12%. In contrast, low-intensity adopters experienced no significant changes in headcount.
- A new organizational layer involving AI, including new job roles like forward-deployed engineers and model evaluators, has formed across companies including Google, Box, and IBM.
- Companies investing heavily in AI, like Google and IBM, are reassigning junior developers to roles with higher customer interaction and less routine coding, as AI handles repetitive tasks.
- A separate study by PwC shows similar trends, indicating that companies most capable of leveraging AI have grown headcount by 52% in 2025 compared to just 36% for less AI-invested firms. Additionally, AI-exposed entry-level roles have become more seniorized and demanded more advanced skills.
