Leadership

AI layoffs are rapidly becoming one of the biggest business stories of the decade. Every week, companies announce workforce reductions tied to artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation. But an uncomfortable question is emerging: are these AI layoffs truly driven by technology—or is AI becoming a convenient excuse for decisions that were already going to happen? A recent court ruling in Hangzhou, China may have exposed a much larger issue hiding beneath today's AI transformation narrative.

44% of Gen Z employees are actively resisting AI — some even sabotaging it from inside their own companies. This isn’t laziness or attitude. It’s FOBO: Fear of Becoming Obsolete. The problem is that resistance won’t protect anyone. It only accelerates irrelevance. History has shown this before, and AI is no exception. In today’s workplace, doing your job well is no longer enough — if you’re not using AI, you’re already falling behind. For leaders, the warning is clear. Ignore the fear, and your strategy collapses. Address it with empathy, trust, and agency, or risk watching resistance grow quietly from within. Because in the age of AI, the real danger isn’t being replaced — it’s being overlooked.