Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:
米企業95万人削減、迫る「AIリストラ」の現実 雇用なき成長探る
2025年11月4日 5:30
(2025年11月6日 0:59更新) [会員限定記事]
【ニューヨーク=川上梓、シリコンバレー=中藤玲】米国企業のリストラが相次いでいる。民間統計によると、2025年1〜9月に企業が表明した人員削減数は前年同期比5割増の約95万人に拡大した。米景気や失業統計はまだ悪化傾向を示していないものの、大企業は人工知能（AI）による効率化を先取りする形で人員を削減し、「雇用なき成長」に向け動き出した。
米調査会社チャレンジャー・グレイ・アンド・クリスマスによると、米企業・組織の人員削減は1〜9月に94万6426人と前年同期比で55%増えた。表明時点の速報値で米政府効率化省（DOGE）による政府系機関の削減も大きいが、DOGE関連を除いても約1割増えた。新型コロナウイルス感染拡大期の20年以来の高水準となった。
削減理由として多いのが全体の2割を占める「市場や経済状況」だった。特にトランプ米政権が課した関税などの影響を受けやすい消費産業の人員削減数は上昇し、前年同期比で小売りは3倍、物流も2倍に増えた。
物流大手のUPSは10月28日、米国で4万8000人の人員を削減したと発表した。トランプ政権の政策影響で中国発の小包の取扱量が落ち込んだためだ。プロクター・アンド・ギャンブル（P&G）も関税上昇で消費者心理が悪化し世界で7000人の人員削減を発表した。
AIが要因は「4%」、リストラ正当化の材料に
目下最大の焦点になっているのはAIだ。チャレンジャーの統計では、AIを直接要因とした企業は全体の4%にとどまるが、業務効率化を見越した合理化が始まっている。
特にAIの代替の影響が大きいと言われるホワイトカラーで削減の動きが目立つ。コンサルティング大手のアクセンチュアは米国を含め世界で約1300億円規模のリストラ計画を発表し、AI導入に伴う社員の再教育や事業見直しに着手した。コンサル大手のPwCも米国で1500人を削減すると報じられた。
25年7〜9月期で相次ぎ最高益をたたき出したテック企業でもリストラが相次ぐ。データセンターのインフラ投資がかさみ、AIによるプログラミングの自動化が進む中、米マイクロソフトは5月と7月に計1万5000人の削減を発表した。米アマゾン・ドット・コムは事務職やエンジニアを中心に1万4000人の削減を発表した。
コンサル大手のカルチャー・パートナーズ最高戦略責任者のジェシカ・クリーゲル氏は「今回増えている人員削減は景気に関わらず起きている点が異例だ。AIがリストラを正当化する新たな理由になっている」と指摘する。
AIが失業につながる直接的な因果関係はまだ薄いが、企業は半ば格好の理由として活用し始めている部分がある。
アマゾンのアンディ・ジャシー最高経営責任者（CEO）は6月にAIの効率化により「従業員が減っていく」と宣言した。実際に人員削減に踏み切ったものの、一転、10月30日の決算説明会で「少なくとも現時点ではAI導入によるものではない」と「AIリストラ」のイメージが付くことを恐れ、火消しに追われた。
調査会社カンファレンス・ボードのロビン・エリクソン氏は「広範な業種で削減が進む背景は、企業でAIが導入される今こそリストラのチャンスだと捉えているからだ。今なら人員を削減しても気づかれないと考えている」と分析した。
失業統計とはタイムラグ
民間統計で先行する人材削減の波だが、公的な失業統計にはまだその影響は表れていない。影響が出てくるにはタイムラグがあるといわれるためだ。
実際、米労働省が中小企業も含めた全米2万1000事業所を対象に行っている米雇用動態調査（JOLTS）では米国の人員削減はコロナ禍以降、低い水準が続いている。
米連邦準備理事会（FRB）のパウエル議長は29日の記者会見で「新規失業保険申請件数に影響はまだ表れていない。雇用市場の低迷が加速している様子は見られない」と述べた。一方で「多くの企業が新規採用を控えるか人員を削減すると発表し、AIについて言及している。雇用創出に影響を与える可能性は十分にある」と懸念を示した。
アマゾンなど人員削減を表明した企業は株価が上昇したケースもある。経営陣にとっては好況期のリストラは株式市場に対するアピールに加え、効率化のための経営判断の言い訳としてこれ以上ない好材料となりつつある。ただ、前のめりな人員削減は顧客や従業員の不信を招き長期的な成長を阻害する可能性もある。
Translation
US
companies cut 950,000 jobs, reflecting the looming reality of "AI
restructuring" and exploring jobless growth.
[New York -
Azusa Kawakami, Silicon Valley - Rei Nakafuji] US
companies were undergoing restructuring one after another. According to private
statistics, the number of job cuts announced by companies between January and
September 2025 increased by 50% compared to the same period last year to
approximately 950,000. While the US economy and unemployment statistics had yet
to show any signs of worsening, major companies were moving towards
"jobless growth" by preemptively reducing staff through efficiency
gains from artificial intelligence (AI).
Staff
cuts are at their highest level since the COVID-19 period.
According
to the US research firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, job cuts by US
companies and organizations between January and September totaled 946,426, a
55% increase compared to the same period last year. According to the
preliminary figures that marked the occasion, the reduction in
government-affiliated organizations by the U.S. Department of Government
Efficiency (DOGE) was also significant. Even excluding DOGE-related cuts, the
figure still increased by approximately 10%. This was the highest level since
the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The most common reason cited for cuts was "market and economic conditions," accounting for 20% of the total. The number of job cuts increased particularly in consumer industries, which were vulnerable to the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, with retail job cuts tripling and logistics job cuts doubling compared to the same period last year.
On October 28, logistics giant UPS announced it had cut 48,000 jobs in the United States. This was due to a decline in package volume from China caused by the Trump administration's policies. Procter & Gamble (P&G) also announced a global cut of 7,000 jobs due to the worsening consumer sentiment caused by rising tariffs.
AI was
blamed for "4%”, providing justification for restructuring
AI was currently the biggest focus. According
to Challenger's statistics, only 4% of companies cite AI as a direct factor,
but streamlining was
beginning in anticipation of improved operational efficiency.
Reductions were
particularly noticeable among white-collar workers, who were expected to be hit
hardest by AI replacement. Consulting giant Accenture announced a restructuring
plan worth approximately 130 billion yen worldwide, including in the US, and had
begun retraining employees and reviewing its operations in preparation for the
introduction of AI. Consulting giant PwC had also reportedly planned to cut
1,500 jobs in the US.
Tech companies, which had posted record profits in the July-September quarter of 2025, were also making repeated layoffs. Amid increased investment in data center infrastructure and the advancement of AI-driven automation of programming, Microsoft announced a total of 15,000 job cuts in May and July. Amazon.com announced a 14,000-job cut, primarily among administrative and engineering staff.
Jessica Kriegel, chief strategy officer at Culture Partners, a major consulting firm, pointed out, "What's unusual about this increase in job cuts is that they're occurring regardless of the economy situation. AI is becoming a new justification for restructuring."
While the direct causal relationship between AI and unemployment was still unclear, companies as a convenient good reason were beginning to take advantage of this.
In June, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy declared that " the number of employees is going to decrease " due to the efficiency of AI. Although the company did indeed go ahead with job cuts, he suddenly reversed course at its earnings briefing on October 30, claiming that "at least for now, this is not due to the introduction of AI”, and fearing the impression of "AI-driven restructuring", was busily trying to contain the situation.
Robin Erickson of research firm The Conference Board analyzed, "The reason we're seeing job cuts across a wide range of industries is because companies are seeing this as an opportunity to restructure, as AI is being introduced into their businesses. They believe they can make cuts now without anyone noticing."
Unemployment statistics had a time lag
While
private sector statistics showed a wave of layoffs, their impact had yet to
appear in official unemployment statistics. It was said that there was a time
lag before the effects became apparent.
In fact,
the U.S. Department of Labor's Job Openings Survey (JOLTS), which covered
21,000 businesses across the country, including small and medium-sized
businesses, showed that U.S. layoffs had remained low since the COVID-19
pandemic.
Federal Reserve（FRB） Chairman Powell stated at a press conference on the 29th, "We have yet to see any impact on the number of new unemployment insurance claims. We do not see any signs of an accelerating labor market downturn." However, he expressed concern, saying, "Many companies have announced plans to hold off on new hiring or on cutting staff, and they are citing AI. This could well have an impact on job creation."
There were
cases that companies that announced layoffs, such as Amazon, had their stock
prices going up. For management, restructuring during a boom
period is becoming the perfect opportunity, not only to appeal to the stock
market but also to justify business decisions aimed at improving efficiency.
However, aggressive staff reductions could lead to distrust from customers and
employees and hinder long-term growth.
So, US companies are undergoing
restructuring one after another. While the US economy and unemployment
statistics have yet to show any signs of worsening, major companies are moving
towards "jobless growth" by preemptively reducing staff through
efficiency gains from artificial intelligence. Apparently,
for the management,
restructuring during a boom period is a perfect opportunity, not only to appeal
to the stock market but also to justify business decisions aimed at improving
efficiency.
Note:
1. Challenger,
Gray & Christmas
is a US-based research firm. They reported that US companies announced over
153,000 job cuts in October. The firm also provided outplacement services,
assisting employees in finding new roles. (Sider Fusion)
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