Why AI Won't Cut Jobs: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload Podcast
Computer Weekly, Friday, June 5th, 2026
A Gartner analyst argues AI spend should fund upskilling, not headcount cuts, for sustainable returns.
A Gartner survey found 80% of organizations implementing AI agents experienced some job losses, yet analyst Helen Poitevin contends that cutting staff to fund AI is shortsighted. Organizations achieving the strongest returns on AI investments heavily invest in people through skills development and new orchestration roles.
Poitevin warns against mimicking tech giants' aggressive layoff strategies, noting this harms long-term business performance. She applies the Jevons Paradox to software development, arguing that AI-driven efficiency increases demand for developer skills rather than eliminating them.
Forward-thinking IT leaders are building talent pipelines to help junior engineers move faster from identifying problems to implementing solutions.