AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements
AI Workforce indicator
Where the AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements stands now
The AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements was 4,000 in September 2026. Since 2023 it has ranged from 0 in June 2023 to 38,600 in May 2026.
How the AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements has moved since 2023
AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements: down since May 2026
AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements: 4,000 in September 2026, down from 7,000 a year earlier. Monthly, 2023–2026.
What the AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements measures
AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements by month, 2023 to 2026
| Month | Count | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | 4K | −3K |
| Aug 2026 | 3.5K | +3.5K |
| Jul 2026 | 11K | +0.7K |
| Jun 2026 | 14K | +13.9K |
| May 2026 | 38.6K | +38.6K |
| Apr 2026 | 21.5K | +21.5K |
| Mar 2026 | 15.3K | +15.3K |
| Feb 2026 | 4.7K | +4.7K |
| Jan 2026 | 7.6K | +7.6K |
| Dec 2025 | 100 | +100 |
| Nov 2025 | 6.3K | +6.3K |
| Oct 2025 | 31K | +31K |
| Sep 2025 | 7K | +1.4K |
| Aug 2025 | 0 | −5.9K |
| Jul 2025 | 10.3K | +10.3K |
| Jun 2025 | 100 | +100 |
| May 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2025 | 0 | −800 |
| Mar 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2025 | 0 | −400 |
| Dec 2024 | 0 | −100 |
| Nov 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 2024 | 0 | −100 |
| Sep 2024 | 5.6K | +5.6K |
| Aug 2024 | 5.9K | +5.9K |
| Jul 2024 | 0 | −100 |
| Jun 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 0 | −3.9K |
| Apr 2024 | 800 | — |
| Mar 2024 | 0 | — |
| Feb 2024 | 0 | — |
| Jan 2024 | 400 | — |
| Dec 2023 | 100 | — |
| Nov 2023 | 0 | — |
| Oct 2023 | 100 | — |
| Sep 2023 | 0 | — |
| Aug 2023 | 0 | — |
| Jul 2023 | 100 | — |
| Jun 2023 | 0 | — |
| May 2023 | 3.9K | — |
Monthly · Challenger, Gray & Christmas
Counties with the highest labor scores
There's no county figure for this measure, so this list uses the labor part of our County Distress Index.
| Rank | County | Score (0–100) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apache County, AZ | 99.2 |
| 2 | Mingo County, WV | 98.7 |
| 3 | Navajo County, AZ | 97.3 |
| 4 | Luna County, NM | 97.2 |
| 5 | McKinley County, NM | 96.8 |
| 6 | Lake County, CA | 96.8 |
| 7 | Clare County, MI | 96.6 |
| 8 | Harlan County, KY | 96.2 |
| 9 | Wyoming County, WV | 96.2 |
| 10 | Pike County, KY | 96.1 |
Questions about the AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements
How many job cuts have been tied to AI?
Challenger counted 4,000 announced job cuts under its AI reason in September 2026. For the full year 2025 it counted 54,836. These are cuts employers announced and linked to AI, not people who lost jobs, and they leave out cuts Challenger files as 'Technological Update (possibly AI)'.
Did AI cause these job cuts?
The count shows the reason employers gave, as Challenger classifies it. It does not show that AI caused the cuts, and Challenger itself says AI's effect on layoffs is hard to judge. Companies' willingness to name AI can also shift over time.
Is this the same as government layoff data?
No. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates layoffs and discharges from a survey of employers. Challenger counts job cuts that employers announce, with a stated reason. The two differ in producer, concept and coverage.
Where does the AI layoff data come from?
Challenger, Gray & Christmas publishes a job-cuts report early each month for the month before. It assigns each announcement's reason itself and does not say what share of all U.S. layoffs its announcements cover.
Sources and method for the AI-Attributed Layoff Announcements
- Challenger, Gray & Christmas We use the monthly figures as published, from May 2023 through September 2026, with no adjustment of our own. Challenger, Gray & Christmas doesn’t adjust this count for the season, so compare a month with the same month a year earlier. Challenger, Gray & Christmas’s report
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.