Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders led a bipartisan push for Congress to address AI-driven job losses on Wednesday, citing new data showing May was the worst month on record for automation-related cuts. The call came as a report revealed nearly one in five US workers now expect AI or automation to take their jobs, and as financial giants including JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup publicly warn that roles will disappear.
The scale of AI-related job cuts
Data compiled from employer reports shows AI was linked to 38,579 US job cuts in May 2026 — the highest monthly total since tracking began. Year-to-date, AI-related cuts have reached 87,714, already surpassing the 54,836 recorded for all of 2025. The figures don't include broader automation effects in sectors like manufacturing or retail.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley also voiced concern, pointing to a separate survey that found roughly one in five US workers expect AI or automation to eliminate their positions. “That’s not a future we should accept without a fight,” Hawley said in a statement.
Banking on fewer jobs
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has been blunt: AI will eliminate jobs. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser echoed that view, saying certain roles will become unnecessary. The warnings are translating into real cuts. According to an executive at QuantumBlack, McKinsey’s AI unit, banks are reducing junior analyst classes by as much as two-thirds. Standard Chartered announced plans to cut more than 15% of its corporate function roles by 2030 as it ramps up AI use.
The customer service sector is especially exposed. Roughly 2.9 million Americans work in customer service, and AI chatbots and automated systems are already handling many of those tasks.
A contrarian view on AI disruption
Not everyone buys the doomsday narrative. David George, a partner at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, called the idea of an AI job apocalypse a myth. Economist Tyler Cowen argues that AI lets small teams do more, which could actually spawn more companies and nonprofits, offsetting some job losses.
Still, the tone on Capitol Hill was urgent. Warren urged immediate protections for workers, while Sanders blamed industry PAC money for blocking action. “We’ve seen this before — workers left behind while executives cash in,” Sanders said.
What happens next is unclear. No bill has been introduced, but the senators said they’ll push for hearings and a workforce task force. The May job-cut number is likely to keep the pressure on.
