How AI Has Quickly Become A Catch-All Excuse For Firing Employees

🎯 Impact Sentiment: Concerning

📋 Summary

• Companies in France, like Onclusive and IBM, are blaming AI adoption for large-scale job cuts, raising union and legal concerns that AI is becoming a convenient excuse for downsizing.
• French law requires employers to justify layoffs, but some companies are using "technological mutations" or competitive pressure as catch-all reasons—without always proving that AI is truly necessary or beneficial.
• Unions are pushing for stronger employee protections, more social dialogue, and mandatory retraining opportunities; they argue that layoffs should be the absolute last resort, not the default.
• There’s a clear lack of anticipation and worker involvement, leaving employees feeling blindsided, and highlighting an urgent need for balanced discussions and proactive planning around AI-driven changes.

💡 JR Insights

• 💼 Implication: AI is quickly becoming an easy scapegoat for redundancies. Without better regulations and enforced social dialogue, employers might accelerate job cuts by simply citing AI, whether or not automation is the real cause.
• 🚨 Risk: Job security erodes when “AI” justifies almost any restructuring, forcing workers to react to layoffs instead of preparing to adapt. If real retraining and employee involvement are skipped, trust between workers and management tanks.
• ✨ Takeaway: Don’t just accept “AI” as an answer for layoffs. Push for transparency on tech changes, demand a seat at the table before decisions are made, and insist on real upskilling—not just empty promises—if your employer talks AI transformation.