AI made the boring work visible. Cut the work, not the people (jeffgothelf.com)

Recent layoffs in the tech sector, with about 80,000 workers let go in early 2026 alone, have been largely attributed to AI advancements. While many companies are quick to reduce headcounts in response to AI's ability to automate tasks, IKEA is taking a different approach. Instead of laying off employees, IKEA revamped its customer service by retraining 8,500 workers to act as remote interior design consultants. This change followed the success of its AI chatbot, Billie, which autonomously managed 47% of customer interactions. By leveraging human creativity and emotional intelligence for the more complex customer inquiries, IKEA generated €1.3 billion in new revenue in just one year. This case underscores a significant lesson for the AI/ML community: instead of simply viewing AI as a tool for downsizing, companies can reimagine workforce roles to enhance productivity and customer experience. The success of IKEA suggests that organizations should analyze the types of tasks that remain after automation and consider how to redeploy their workforce to fill those gaps. This strategy not only preserves jobs but also unlocks new revenue streams, turning potential layoffs into opportunities for growth in an evolving digital landscape.