55 Percent of Leaders Regret AI Layoffs—and a Major Hiring Reversal Has Begun

A wave of corporate regret and flawed tech rollouts is forcing Ford, IBM, and others to quietly bring back the human talent they cut.

BY BRUCE CRUMLEY @BRUCEC_INC

Illustration: Inc; Photo: Adobe Stock

The prevailing narrative over the past year has been that companies are either laying people off to automate work with artificial intelligence (AI) tools, or are instead holding headcounts steady using low-to-no hiring or firing strategies. But new evidence suggests many employers are now either reversing course with new recruitment drives, or instead anticipating staff increases before long.

While it’s still be too soon to start celebrating for countless employees who’ve been desperately hugging their jobs amid a grim labor market outlook since mid-2025, there are reasons for guarded optimism that things may be........

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