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Why AI Layoffs Are More Than an Efficiency Play – And What It Means for Your Career

Providing a resume is an established hiring practice. But if you consider the data on resume efficiency, you might start to question its effectiveness in hiring.
Chief Executive Officer

Liz Eversoll

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As major tech companies double down on artificial intelligence, the pursuit of “frictionless” systems is coming at a growing cost — not just in jobs, but in meaning, learning, and long-term career growth.

A recent Forbes article by Jason Snyder highlights one of the most high-profile examples of this trend: Meta’s layoffs in its AI division. Roughly 600 roles were cut from Meta’s Superintelligence Labs, even as the company continues to invest heavily in advanced machine learning research and automation.

👉 Read the full article: “Meta Layoffs and the Cost of a Frictionless AI Future” on Forbes — https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonsnyder/2025/10/27/meta-layoffs-and-the-cost-of-a-frictionless-ai-future/

Efficiency Isn’t the Whole Story

The Meta layoffs were framed internally as a move toward efficiency — fewer conversations, more output, and a leaner team focused on high-impact work. But as Snyder points out, this kind of “frictionless” thinking can overlook something critical: friction is where deep learning and human judgment occur. Forbes

Industry experts quoted in the piece emphasize that:

  • AI can streamline tasks, but human variability, curiosity, and debate are often what lead to innovation.

  • When companies automate not just routine work but roles that train, mentor, and coach future leaders, they risk breaking their own talent pipelines. LinkedIn

What This Means for Career Development

For organizations and professionals alike, the message is clear: automation should enhance the human contribution — not erase it. At Career Highways, we believe people and technology succeed together when roles are designed to:

  • Amplify human strengths, such as interpretation, problem identification, and strategic thinking.

  • Preserve learning opportunities that help early-career talent build experience and move up the career ladder.

  • Encourage curiosity and experimentation, rather than just execution.

As Liz Eversoll, CEO of Career Highways, noted in the article, AI risks hollowing out the traditional pathways that help employees grow into leadership if we don’t think critically about where and how automation is used. LinkedIn

Agency-Forward Careers in an Automated Age

With AI reshaping workflows across industries, the most resilient careers will be built on agency — the ability to make meaningful decisions, ask tough questions, and interpret context that machines alone can’t grasp.

This means professionals should:

  • Invest in skills that machines can’t replicate, such as ethical judgment, creative problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership.

  • Look for roles that blend technology with human insight instead of replacing insight with automation.

  • Understand how to leverage tools like AI to enhance performance, not just reduce effort.

Bottom Line: Careers Built for Tomorrow

The Forbes article reminds us that pursuing efficiency without regard for human purpose can leave organizations — and careers — hollow. The future of work isn’t about being replaced by machines; it’s about shaping work that makes human contributions indispensable.

At Career Highways, we help individuals navigate these transitions by identifying strengths, clarifying career direction, and building meaningful trajectories — even in an age of rapid automation.

👉 Explore how Career Highways can help you move forward with confidence — without losing the human edge that truly matters.