Financial activities and information sector payrolls fell by 28,000 jobs a month on average in 2026, according to Bloomberg analysis of government data. The trend has been consistent for several consecutive months as companies accelerate AI adoption across coding, research, and back-office functions. Technology companies have moved fastest to deploy artificial intelligence tools, while finance firms show similar patterns of workforce reduction.
AI has driven 101,743 layoffs so far this year, representing about 23% of all cuts tracked by Challenger, Gray, and Christmas. Technology companies announced 15,503 cuts in June alone, bringing the year-to-date total to 139,156, which is 83% higher than 2025 levels. The firm tracked 45,849 U.S. job cuts in June, the lowest monthly total since December 2025, though technology still led every sector in announcements. According to Layoffs.fyi, the number of layoffs in 2026, up to July 1, has already exceeded the layoffs for the full year of 2025, with Oracle joining a growing list of tech firms cutting jobs as AI adoption accelerates.
Oracle exemplifies the sector-wide trend, cutting 21,000 positions (about 13% of its workforce) over the past 12 months. The company's headcount fell from 162,000 to 141,000, with a regulatory filing attributing the reduction to AI technology adoption. Finance firms show similar patterns, with Robinhood cutting 10% of staff while restructuring around AI tools. Hollywood studios have slashed animation costs by 90% using AI, triggering thousands of film industry layoffs in California. Globally, the highest layoffs occurred in the retail and hardware sectors, accounting for nearly 23% of total tech industry layoffs since 2020, with nearly three out of four layoffs conducted by US-based companies.
AI adoption in project management has accelerated dramatically, with 70% of project professionals now using AI tools, up from just 36% in 2023. According to APM research, 27% of project professionals say AI is fully embedded into their workflows, spanning forecasting, decision support, and resource allocation. Project managers using GenAI in more than half of their projects report significant performance gains, with 91% in quality management, 87% in scope management, and 86% in cost management. Despite high confidence with 92% saying their skills are aligned with AI-enabled work, skills gaps remain in ethical decision-making and AI-enabled decision-making.
While some sectors face job losses, AI trade chip winners are gaining as companies expand data center and semiconductor spending. The project management software market is projected to grow from $9.76 billion in 2025 to $23.09 billion by 2030, demonstrating a 15.42% CAGR. However, the gap between hard layoff data and executive messaging leaves questions about the sustainability of the 28,000 monthly job loss pace in the second half of 2026. Upcoming Challenger and Bureau of Labor Statistics reports will clarify whether this trend continues or accelerates further. Education saw over 20% of total layoffs, with pink slips widespread across sectors due to AI adoption since 2020.
