Nvidia CEO: Stop Blaming AI for Layoffs You Planned Years Ago

The CEO of Nvidia just said what millions of workers have been thinking: blaming AI for layoffs doesn't add up when the technology only became useful months ago.

Jensen Huang pulled no punches during a recent interview with Channel NewsAsia. "I think the narrative that connects AI to job loss, for many of the CEOs that are doing it, is just too lazy," he said, pointing out that companies were cutting staff two years ago while claiming AI made them do it.

The timing doesn't make sense, and Huang isn't buying it. "It was just a way for them to sound smart, and I really hate that," he added.

His critique comes as several major companies have linked recent layoffs to AI investments. Standard Chartered announced plans to cut 7,000 jobs to replace what its CEO called "lower-value human capital" with technology. Meta laid off 10% of its workforce last week, citing heavy AI spending as the reason.

But labor experts agree with Huang's skepticism. Research from the Brookings Institution and Yale University found that the proportion of jobs actually at high risk of AI replacement has stayed steady since ChatGPT launched in 2022. Many analysts say AI has become a convenient scapegoat for layoffs driven by traditional concerns like poor profit margins.

Huang worries that the exaggerated narrative is creating unnecessary panic. "I think we're scaring people, and that's irresponsible," he said. "We should tell a balanced story about the potential of this technology."

His perspective offers a different path forward. Instead of fearing AI will steal jobs, Huang believes workers should embrace learning how to use it. "People are not going to lose their jobs to AI, but rather to those who know how to better use AI," he explained.

The Bright Side

While headlines about AI-driven layoffs grab attention, the reality might be more hopeful than it seems. The technology isn't actually replacing humans at the alarming rate some leaders claim.

Huang's advice to worried workers is simple: engage with AI instead of avoiding it. "It's more likely that AI will elevate your job," he said, encouraging people to learn the tools rather than fear them.

He acknowledges the technology needs proper guardrails and thoughtful deployment. But his vision centers on AI as a partner that changes how we work, not an executioner eliminating jobs wholesale.

The message matters because it shifts responsibility back where it belongs: on leaders making business decisions, not on technology that's barely had time to prove itself. When CEOs blame AI for cuts they planned years earlier, they're dodging accountability for their choices.

Workers learning to use AI thoughtfully will thrive in the changing landscape ahead.