AI may be held accountable for this year’s layoffs, but according to a recent worldwide study, the technology may encourage some entry-level hiring in the next year.
According to an annual outlook study issued this month by consultancy firm Teneo, CEOs of public companies believe AI will create more employment in 2026. According to 67% of CEOs surveyed, AI would boost entry-level employment in 2026, while 58% stated they also want to expand senior leadership positions.
According to the survey, companies are employing more people for engineering and AI-related positions. As certain activities become more automated, many current employment are being relocated or redesigned.
Over 350 worldwide CEOs of publicly traded firms with at least $1 billion in yearly sales and over 400 institutional investors with $19 trillion in portfolio value participated in the poll, which was conducted between October 14 and November 10.
The findings contradict the widely held belief that artificial intelligence is automating whole jobs.
“It’s not that AI is destroying the workforce today; it’s reshaping it,” explained Ryan Cox, Teneo’s worldwide head of AI.
A larger increase in corporate AI investment is reflected in the hiring momentum. CEO spending on AI is expected to rise from 66% in 2025 to 68% in 2026. AI is already assisting their companies in navigating change, according to nearly nine out of ten CEOs.
Expectations have increased as a result of all that investment. Over 50% of investors stated that they anticipate outcomes from AI projects in less than six months. CEOs are unsure: Just 16% of executives at large-cap firms with $10 billion or more in yearly revenue stated that such quick returns are feasible.
AI is changing the nature of labor
As more businesses declare layoffs related to automation, concerns that AI may replace human employment have grown.
Between 4,000 and 6,000 jobs will be eliminated by the end of 2028, according to HP’s November earnings report. This move is anticipated to save around $1 billion. In November, IBM declared that it will cut employees by a “single-digit percentage” in the fourth quarter of 2025.
However, it’s not as easy as machines taking the place of workers. In October, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna told that the firm intends to increase employment of recent college graduates in the upcoming year while concurrently moving headcount toward AI and quantum computing. He told The Wall Street Journal in May that the use of AI has increased the need for programmers and salespeople.
As AI transforms existing job categories, new ones have emerged. Workplace experts stated in a Business Insider piece earlier this month that titles like “AI experience officer” and “decision designer” are becoming more common in the workforce. These positions are centered on improving human-AI cooperation and directing AI systems.
