The Great Tech Layoff Lie and the Convenient AI Scapegoat

A recent graph circulating on LinkedIn shows major tech giants slashing software engineering headcount at rates that would terrify any fresh CS graduate. Instantly, fingers flew to AI automation as the culprit. But this narrative—AI devouring entry-level jobs—is a convenient red herring. In reality, these companies over-extended themselves in 2021–22, carrying massive R&D payrolls that never translated into proportional ROI. When macroeconomic headwinds hit, the first to go were the thousands of brand-new grads deemed “non-critical.” Blaming AI masks the real issues: reckless expansion, bloated bureaucracy, and short-sighted management. The AI Scapegoat: Easy, But Misleading Anyone scrolling through Twitter or LinkedIn these days will see the same refrain: AI is ste