Hey guys, I need to share something that’s been keeping me awake. It’s April 2026, and the number of layoffs happening in the tech and crypto sectors is simply staggering. It’s no longer just cuts due to an economic crisis — now it’s AI, plain and simple.

About two weeks ago, Meta announced it would lay off 20% of its staff. Then a major crypto exchange also announced cuts of 12% of its workforce. But the most brutal case? Block. This payments company cut nearly 4,000 people — literally reducing from 10,000 to 6,000 employees. It’s like… 40% of the company disappeared. And do you know the justification? AI made most roles unnecessary.

According to data I saw out there, in the first quarter of 2026, there were 45,000 confirmed layoffs in the global tech sector. Of these, roughly 20% were explicitly attributed to artificial intelligence and automation. Worrying? Extremely.

What really caught my attention is that it’s not isolated. Amazon, Microsoft, Pinterest… everyone is doing this “AI cleanup.” Here’s who was affected: beginner programmers, customer service, data entry, research analysts. Basically, any role involving repetitive and well-structured tasks is in the crosshairs.

There’s a report from Anthropic that came out in March which is quite revealing. They analyzed millions of real AI dialogues to see what it can actually do — this isn’t theory, it’s practice. And the result? Professions with highly linguistic or data-structured tasks are at the top of the “can be replaced” list. LLMs are too good at processing text and data with clear rules.

But here’s the interesting part: not everything is being replaced. Roles that require empathy, genuine communication, complex strategic decisions — these still resist. Psychotherapists, high-level salespeople, healthcare professionals… AI can help with paperwork, but the human touch is still irreplaceable.

And there’s more: in the creative content area, the replacement rate for basic writers and SEO editors is already at 82%. Designers making templates? About 70% of the work can already be automated. In factories, Tesla is at 95% automation. Foxconn can do welding with 0.02 mm precision using robots — no human can come close to that.

What really worries me is the young folks just graduating now. The hiring rate for people aged 22 to 25 has dropped 14% in roles with high AI exposure. Basically, it’s closing the door on beginners. No one was expelled, but entry-level opportunities are getting tighter and tighter.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The truth is, AI is a productivity multiplier, not a job killer. It’s replacing those who want to keep doing the same thing for 20 years and rewarding those who learn to work with the tool. If you master AI, if you can think differently, if you bring creativity that machines can’t imagine — then you’re safe.

So my advice? Get familiar with these technologies. Build skills that can’t be automated. Focus on areas that need human judgment, strategy, empathy. Coexisting with AI isn’t a threat, it’s an opportunity for those ready to embrace change. If you’re just recording meetings and writing documents on your computer, maybe it’s time to start worrying.