3 in 5 Workers Are Using AI to Hijack Their Coworkers' Jobs to Stay Employed

🎯 Impact Sentiment: Concerning

📋 Summary

• 61% of full-time U.S. workers have used AI to take over coworkers’ tasks, and the rate jumps to 74% in companies with recent layoffs.
• Most “AI job hijackers” keep this behavior hidden from managers, often taking on tasks done by friends, who are frequently the ones laid off.
• Nearly 80% of those using AI this way report career rewards: better reviews, more responsibility, promotions, or raises.
• Fear of layoffs is driving employees to prioritize personal survival over collaboration, which is causing trust and culture in organizations to erode.

💡 JR Insights

• 💼 Implication: When AI tools are used to edge out coworkers, the workplace shifts from teamwork to self-preservation—the people benefiting most are those willing to quietly outmaneuver their peers, not necessarily the most skilled or collaborative employees.
• 🚨 Risk: This behavior accelerates layoffs, especially among workplace friends, and can severely damage morale, transparency, and overall trust. It creates an environment where employees hide AI use and undermine each other, eroding company culture from the inside.
• ✨ Takeaway: If your organization is ramping up AI without clear policies and cultural checks, you risk sowing fear and turning your workforce into solo survivors. Leaders need to address this race for job security or face a fractured, distrustful team and future hiring headaches.