The rapid rise of artificial intelligence has created a widespread perception that AI-related roles are among the safest careers in technology. A new survey suggests the reality may be more complex.
According to a study by professional networking platform Blind, 66% of employees working in artificial intelligence and machine learning roles expect a layoff or significant headcount reduction within their teams over the next three to six months. The findings place AI professionals among the most concerned groups in the technology workforce despite the growing demand for AI expertise across industries.
The survey, which covered 1,552 India-based professionals in July 2026, highlights growing uncertainty across the sector as companies continue to balance AI investments with workforce restructuring and cost optimisation efforts.
AI professionals rank among the most anxious groups
The survey found that employees working directly on AI technologies are nearly as concerned about layoffs as workers in functions traditionally viewed as more vulnerable to workforce reductions.
Key findings include:
- 68% of employees in sales and marketing expect layoffs or headcount reductions.
- 66% of AI and machine learning professionals expect cuts.
- 65% of workers in product and design functions anticipate reductions.
- AI and ML emerged as the second-most concerned workforce segment in the survey.
The results challenge the assumption that working in AI automatically provides greater job security.
As enterprises accelerate AI adoption, many professionals in AI-related roles appear to believe they remain exposed to the same economic and organisational pressures affecting the broader technology industry.
Engineering and data teams report lower concern
While AI has often been discussed as a technology capable of automating engineering and analytical tasks, employees in those functions reported comparatively lower levels of concern.
According to Blind's findings:
- Only 24% of engineers described layoffs as "very likely", the lowest figure among all surveyed functions.
- Overall layoff concern among engineers stood at 58%, below the survey average.
- Data and analytics teams reported an at-risk sentiment level of 51%.
- Four in ten data and analytics professionals said layoffs were unlikely, the highest confidence level recorded among surveyed groups.
The findings suggest that some of the roles widely expected to be disrupted by AI currently feel more secure than the teams responsible for developing AI systems.
Company-level differences reveal uneven sentiment
The survey also highlighted significant variations in employee confidence across technology companies.
Among organisations where employees reported the highest levels of concern:
- Salesforce: 81%
- Oracle: 80%
- Uber: 77%
- PayPal: 75%
At the opposite end of the spectrum:
- Zoho: 9%
- Freshworks: 44%
Blind noted that companies with fewer than ten survey responses were excluded from its company-level analysis.
The data points to notable differences in how employees perceive organisational stability, even within the same technology sector.
Early warning signs matter more than formal announcements
The survey found that employee concerns are often driven by indirect signals rather than formal redundancy announcements.
Among respondents expecting workforce reductions:
- 27% cited hiring freezes as the strongest warning sign.
- 24% pointed to budget cuts or reduced headcount targets.
- Only 9% identified formal layoff announcements as the primary indicator.
The findings suggest employees are paying close attention to changes in recruitment activity and spending priorities as indicators of future workforce decisions.
AI optimism meets workforce uncertainty
The survey arrives at a time when companies worldwide are investing heavily in AI capabilities while simultaneously reassessing workforce structures and operating costs.
Comments shared on Blind reflected the uncertainty many professionals feel about long-term career prospects. One professional from Coinbase suggested machine learning specialists should focus on strengthening complementary technical skills, while another respondent from Avalara highlighted the perceived value of highly specialised AI expertise.
The broader message from the survey is not that AI jobs are disappearing. Instead, it highlights how concerns about workforce reductions extend across the technology sector, including among professionals building the very technologies reshaping the future of work.
As organisations continue integrating AI into products, operations and business models, employee sentiment suggests that demand for AI skills alone may not eliminate concerns about job security.