While AI replacing humans is often cited as the culprit, experts say the reality is more complex: these companies are freeing up capital to hire AI instead. It may seem like a neat distinction—and will undoubtedly be cold comfort to those who lost their jobs—but these experts say that these companies need the funds to make big bets on AI. In part, they’re hiring a new workforce. The tech CEOs who are making the layoff decisions are largely offering a darker worldview, confirming that automation is coming for the white-collar workforce.

Microsoft‘s AI ambitions

Microsoft has been at the center of this year’s layoff wave, letting go of nearly 6,000 employees in May, followed by another 9,000 in July—amounting to almost 4% of its global workforce.

CEO Satya Nadella has openly discussed the company’s AI transformation, revealing that AI now writes 20% to 30% of Microsoft’s code. This shift has sparked debate about the future need for human engineers, as the company reallocates resources to fund an $80 billion AI infrastructure push this year.

Financial strategy and restructuring

Industry experts like Deedy Das of Menlo Ventures argue that the layoffs are less about AI replacing workers and more about freeing up capital for AI investments.

Tech commentator Wes Roth echoed the sentiment: “This isn’t about AI replacing humans yet—it’s about restructuring to fund AI initiatives.” Microsoft’s approach is mirrored across the sector, with companies including Amazon flattening management layers and prioritizing technical roles over administrative ones.

Das and Roth did not respond to requests for comment.

IBM has cut around 8,000 jobs in HR and other departments, as AI tools take over routine administrative tasks. However, the company is simultaneously hiring more engineers and salespeople, signaling a shift toward roles that require creativity and complex decision-making.

Google and Meta have also made significant cuts, with Meta laying off 3,600 employees at the start of the year and Google reducing hundreds of roles in its Android, Pixel, and Chrome teams. Both companies cite the need to streamline operations and invest in AI as key reasons.

PwC and Chegg Inc. have joined the layoff trend, with PwC cutting approximately 1,500 jobs and Chegg reducing its workforce by 22% as students increasingly turn to free AI-powered study tools.

What they’re saying

As AI becomes more central to business operations, tech companies are redefining what productivity means. Tech CEOs and thought leaders have been outspoken this year about how AI is reshaping their sector with the unambiguous message that at least some jobs are being fundamentally displaced. There is still a debate about whether they are being eliminated for good.

Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg said AI could be ready this year to “effectively be a sort of mid-level engineer,” capable of writing code. Andy Jassy said Amazon “will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today,” while Ford’s Jim Farley and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei separately predicted that AI is set to displace essentially half of all white-collar positions.

It’s not all doomsday predictions. Bill Gates see an era of “free intelligence” coming as AI will become capable of handling most tasks. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang said AI will “change everyone’s job — it’s changed mine.” The thousands of tech workers that have been laid off so far in 2025 are watching and waiting.

For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.