AI layoffs or ‘AI washing’? | | Results TechCrunch

How many recently laid-off companies are actually transitioning their workforce to better work and creative challenges? And how many of them are just using AI as an excuse to solve other problems?

That is the question asked by New York Times article in the direction of “AI-washing,” where companies will cite AI as a reason for layoffs that could be caused by other factors, such as over-hiring during a pandemic.

AI was the cause of more than 50,000 layoffs in 2025, with Amazon and Pinterest among the tech companies that blamed technology for the latest cuts.

But Forrester report published in January He said, “Many companies that are announcing layoffs due to AI do not have mature, certified AI professionals ready to fill those roles, demonstrating a trend of ‘AI-washing’ – indicating a loss of productivity due to future AI implementation.”

Molly Kinder, a senior researcher at the Brookings Institute, said that the claim that job losses were caused by AI is “a very pro-investment message,” especially if the alternative would be to admit, “The business is sick.”