Just a few years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) seemed like something out of science fiction. Today, AI tools can hold lengthy conversations, generate images and videos, turn speech into text and vice versa, and analyse huge amounts of data to make predictions. Tasks that once took hours, weeks or even months can now be completed in a matter of minutes.
As speak in people, everything has its price. After a certain amount of time, many companies have started to cut staff en masse, trying to replace them with artificial intelligence (AI) and automate processes. However, when faced with reality, the business faced the phenomenon of "AI boomerang", because neural networks could not cope with complex tasks, the loss of accumulated knowledge and the need for human control.
In late October, the reported that some companies have started rehiring employees after unsuccessful attempts to replace them with artificial intelligence. The phenomenon has even been given a name: the "AI boomerang." And it's not just about individual corporations. According to the recruitment firm Robert Half, 32% of US hiring managers whose companies had eliminated jobs because of AI or automation said their employers later brought back the same or similar positions.
Some former employees who are now being asked to return are making it clear that things cannot simply go back to the way they were. They want higher salaries and assurances about how AI will affect their jobs in the future. They are also asking for better training, clear career development opportunities and greater job security.
It is not difficult to understand why. Just imagine being laid off because your company daresay that it must embrace AI because "the future belongs to artificial intelligence." Months later, the same employer comes back, admitting that replacing you was not as easy as expected. Data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas shows just how significant the trend has become.
In May 2026, employers cited artificial intelligence as the reason for nearly 40% of announced job cuts in the United States. A separate study by Orgvue found that 32% of organisations that had reduced their workforce to introduce AI were subsequently forced to hire employees again. Among the companies that have reconsidered their decisions are Ford and Amazon.
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