AI was cited for 1,265 US job cuts in October, its lowest monthly total this year, Challenger, Gray & Christmas says
Employers announced 43,994 cuts in all, down 71% on October 2025. AI has been cited for 121,401 cuts so far in 2026, about one in five.
In its October report, published on 5 November, the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said: “AI was cited for 1,265 cuts in October, its lowest monthly total this year.”
US-based employers announced 43,994 job cuts in October, up 2% from 43,281 in September and down 71% from 153,074 in October 2025. The firm's headline calls it a three-year low.
AI has been cited in 121,401 job-cut announcements so far in 2026, about 20% of all cuts. Total cuts through October were 617,189, down 44% from 1,099,500 in the first ten months of 2025. October's 1,265 AI-cited cuts are about 1% of this year's AI total, so the monthly figure has fallen well below the pace of earlier months. The report also counts 470,400 seasonal hiring plans, up 26%.
The figures ran as a breadcrumb on 8 November; this is the full story, published on 5 November and carried here in the catch-up lane.
- Confirmed AI was cited for 1,265 cuts in October, its lowest monthly total this year. Challenger, Gray & Christmas
- Confirmed AI has been cited in 121,401 cuts in 2026, about 20% of all cuts. Challenger, Gray & Christmas
- Confirmed US employers announced 43,994 job cuts in October, down 71% from October 2025. Challenger, Gray & Christmas
Catching up in the November 9, 2026 edition · front page