AI Chatbots Push Users to Share Sensitive Data During Tax Help, With ChatGPT Most Persistent, Analysis Finds

By Surfshark

Image: Salvador Rios / Unsplash

As tax season hits, you have options to file your tax return yourself or with help from someone else. But what if you let an AI chatbot step in to assist? It's a tempting choice — always available, always free, and ready to help when professional assistance is either too expensive or hard to find as deadlines loom. A new study, conducted by Surfshark, explores whether turning to AI chatbots is as smart a move as it sounds.

OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and xAI's Grok have emerged as the frontrunners in the AI chatbot and tools sector. Recent data from Similarweb indicates that these platforms collectively account for nearly 84% of total traffic, making them the most likely choice for individuals seeking consultation, including tax-related advice. ChatGPT leads with 5.4B monthly visitors, followed by Gemini with 2.1B, and Grok with 0.3B.¹

Key insights

• Simulated conversations about tax returns on the most popular AI chatbots worldwide — ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok — showed a clear pattern: users were actively pushed to provide personal information, starting from their job, income, or country, even with neutral prompts like “tax return”. ChatGPT was the most persistent, while Gemini and Grok were easier to navigate for those avoiding personal data input. For example, with Gemini, even when users were encouraged to provide personal information and chose not to, the AI chatbot smoothly continued the conversation, using example data if necessary. In contrast, ChatGPT made several attempts in a row to steer users toward providing their sensitive information.
• To illustrate AI chatbots' data collection behavior, consider an interaction with ChatGPT. Initially, this chatbot concludes its response with a request: “Just tell me your job and approximate yearly income, and I can estimate your refund.” If the user chooses to ignore this request, ChatGPT persists in its next response, asking the user to share the requested details and even seeking more data. If the user proceeds to ignore such requests, ChatGPT adopts a more assertive tone, using phrases like “Please reply with these” and “You can answer like this example.” Ultimately, if the user prompts with “no,” the chatbot ceases to offer estimates. In the case of Gemini, if a user responds with “no,” the chatbot replies with a message: “No worries at all! Since you'd rather not share your specific numbers, I've put together a ‘cheat sheet’ for the current 2025–26 financial year (ending June 30, 2026). You can use this to do the math yourself.”
• AI chatbots can gather user information beyond what is explicitly provided in user prompts. For instance, in a simulated interaction using a VPN connected to an Australian server, ChatGPT tailored its responses based on the user's location data. It started with phrases such as “If you're in Australia” and offered tax-related details specific to that country. In contrast, Gemini not only provided information relevant to Australia but also included details for the US and UK. This broader coverage makes its data collection practices less obvious and potentially less suspicious for users who aren't familiar with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Grok, on the other hand, focused on delivering responses related to US tax returns and offered to customize information further if users provided additional details about their circumstances — such as their country, income type, or specific questions.
• This example aligns with findings from a study Surfshark conducted last year, which examined the data collection practices of the top AI chatbots available on the Apple App Store. The study revealed how data-hungry some of these chatbots can be, with certain apps collecting up to 32 out of 35 possible data types. Location data is just one example of the extensive information these chatbots may gather, highlighting the importance of understanding their data collection practices.
• However, using Grok can be frustrating because it frequently prompts users to sign up, after which companies can gain insights into users' habits and interests or target them with ads, as ChatGPT has already announced plans to do. During simulated conversations, interactions were often interrupted with a “high demand” note, forcing users to either wait or sign up for higher priority access. Additionally, after the fifth prompt, a message limit was reached, preventing further chat progression. Similarly, ChatGPT frequently asked users to create an account to unlock features such as uploading files or images or accessing enhanced capabilities. In contrast, Gemini's approach was the least aggressive, suggesting that users create an account only after they had been prompted at least 10 times.
• The main website page for Gemini explicitly states that the AI chatbot can make mistakes. ChatGPT provides a similar disclaimer after the first prompt, additionally warning users not to share sensitive information and noting that chats may be reviewed and used to train their models. In contrast, Grok does not visibly display such a statement on the chat screen, although it is included in the Terms of Service. For these reasons, transparency about sources and access to links are crucial for assessing the accuracy of AI chatbot information, particularly in sensitive areas like tax returns.
• A highly concerning finding is that Gemini does not provide any source references, raising issues about the verifiability of its information. Meanwhile, ChatGPT takes an inconsistent approach, offering links only for certain highlighted words, with explanatory text in a sidebar. In contrast, Grok enhances transparency by providing an extensive list of sources with direct links to content. However, it is important to note that merely providing a link does not ensure that the information was correctly interpreted or used by the AI, leaving users to navigate these technologies at their own risk.

Methodology and sources

The study aims to provide insights into the chatbots' behavior and the risks associated with their use in sensitive contexts, such as tax return assistance. To simulate user behavior, three distinct starting prompts were used: a neutral “tax return”, a more engaging “help me with my tax return,” and a third prompt, “how can you help me with my tax return?” Following the initial prompt, subsequent user interactions were limited to “yes” if the chatbot suggested an action, or “no” if it requested personal information. If the interaction stalled, the AI chatbot’s first suggestion was used to continue the conversation. Each initial prompt was entered into a new chat thread using Google Chrome's Incognito mode, with a VPN connected to an Australian server. All interactions were conducted in English. Data was collected on March 12, 2026.

Among the top five AI chatbots and tools with the highest user traffic, OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and xAI's Grok were selected for analysis because their accessible free versions do not require users to sign in. As a result, Anthropic Claude and DeepSeek were excluded from the analysis due to their requirement for account creation before use. No additional settings were adjusted after accessing the AI chatbot websites.

Note: The same prompts do not always produce identical results, so the first recorded take was used for analysis.

For the complete research material behind this study, visit here.

This post was originally published by Surfshark and is republished on DIW with permission.

Reviewed by Asim BN.

Read next:

• Two-thirds of workers are burned out – here’s what science says about how to tackle it

• Iran war shows how AI speeds up military ‘kill chains’

by External Contributor via Digital Information World

Iran war shows how AI speeds up military ‘kill chains’

Craig Jones, Newcastle University and Helen M Kinsella, University of Minnesota

Image: Saifee Art / Unsplash

The US-Israel war on Iran has been described as “the first AI war”. But recent deployments of artificial intelligence are, in fact, the latest in a long history of technological developments that prize a need for speed in the military “kill chain”.

“Sixty seconds – that’s all it took,” claimed a former Israeli Mossad agent of the strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28 2026, the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran.

The speed and scale of war have been significantly enhanced by use of AI systems. But this need for speed brings serious risks for civilians and military combatants alike.

Modern military operations produce and rely on an enormous amount of intelligence. This includes intercepted phone calls and text messages, the mass surveillance of the internet (known as “signals intelligence”), as well as satellite imagery and video feeds from loitering drones. We can think of all this intelligence as data – and the problem is, there’s too much of it.

As early as 2010, the US Air Force was concerned about “swimming in sensors and drowning in data”. Too many hours of footage, and too many analysts manually reviewing this intelligence.

AI systems can dramatically speed up the analysis of military intelligence. Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command (CentCom), recently confirmed the use of AI tools in the war against Iran, saying:

These systems help us sift through vast amounts of data in seconds, so our leaders can cut through the noise and make smarter decisions faster than the enemy can react … Advanced AI tools can turn processes that used to take hours and sometimes even days into seconds.

In 2024, an investigation by Georgetown University found that the US Army’s 18th Airborne Corps had employed AI to assist with intelligence processing – reducing a team of 2,000 to just 20.

Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/5KQDv0Cfxs

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 11, 2026

The allure of speed

In the second world war, the aerial targeting cycle – from collecting images to assembling target packages complete with intelligence reports – could take weeks or even months. But over the ensuing decades, the US military set about what it called “compressing the kill chain” – shortening the time between the identification of a target and use of force against it.

During the first Gulf war of 1991, Iraq’s president Saddam Hussein made use of mobile missile launchers that would roam the desert firing Scud missiles. By the time US radar identified its location, the launcher could be miles away. This “shoot and scoot” tactic required new technology to track these mobile targets.

Mobile Scud missile launchers proved a new challenge for the US military during the first Gulf war.

A key breakthrough came shortly after the September 11 attacks in the form of an armed Predator drone.

In November 2002, the CIA targeted and killed Al Qaeda’s leader in Yemen, Qaed Salim Sinan al-Harithi. This heralded a new era of warfare in which drones piloted from military bases in the US flew remotely over the skies of Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The drones’ powerful cameras could take high-resolution video and beam it back to the US via satellite in a matter of seconds, enabling the drone operators to track mobile targets. The same drone which had eyes on the target could fire missiles to kill or destroy the target.

With greater speed comes greater risk

Two decades ago, it was easy to dismiss as hyperbole the idea that the coming age of cyberwarfare might bring about “bombing at the speed of thought”, a phrase coined by American historian Nick Cullather in 2003. Yet with the advent of AI warfare, the unthinkable has become almost antiquated.

Part of the push to employ AI tools is the sense that human thought is no match for the processing speeds enabled by AI systems. The US Department of Defense’s artificial intelligence strategy states: “Military AI is going to be a race for the foreseeable future, and therefore speed wins … We must accept that the risks of not moving fast enough outweigh the risks of imperfect alignment.”

While the precise uses of AI by US and other military is shrouded in secrecy, information has been made public that highlights the risks of its use on civilian populations.

In Gaza, according to Israeli intelligence sources, the AI systems Lavender and Gospel have been programmed to accept up to 100 civilian casualties (and occasionally even more) for a strike on a single suspected Hamas combatant. More than 75,000 people are estimated to have been killed there since October 7 2023.

In February 2024, a US airstrike killed a 20-year-old student, Abdul-Rahman al-Rawi. At the time, a senior US official admitted the strikes had used AI targeting – although confusingly, the US military now says it has “no way of knowing” whether it used AI in specific airstrikes.

The risk is that AI could lower the threshold or cost of going to war, as people play an increasingly passive role in reviewing and rubber-stamping the work of AI.

The embedding of AI into military kill chains intersects with other alarming developments. After years of inaction, the US military spent more than a decade developing an infrastructure to avoid civilian casualties in war, but it has been almost totally dismantled under the Trump administration.

The lawyers who give advice to the military on targeting operations, including compliance with international law and rules of engagement, have been sidelined and fired.

Meanwhile, since the start of the war in Iran, more than 1,200 civilians have been killed, according to the Iranian Health Ministry. On February 28, the US military struck an elementary school in the south of Iran, killing at least 175 people, most of them children.

The US secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, has been clear that the military’s aim in Iran is for “maximum lethality, not tepid legality. Violent effect, not politically correct”.

With such an attitude, and by privileging speed over deliberation, civilian casualties become inevitable, and accountability ever more elusive.

Craig Jones, Senior Lecturer in Political Geography, Department of Geography, Newcastle University and Helen M Kinsella, Professor of Political Science and Law, Department of Political Science, University of Minnesota

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Reviewed by Asim BN.

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• From Anthropic to Iran: Who sets the limits on AI’s use in war and surveillance?

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by External Contributor via Digital Information World

Two-thirds of workers are burned out – here’s what science says about how to tackle it

By Taylor & Francis

Evidence-based, long-term psychological strategies to build a framework for your brain’s resilience and overcome burnout

Burnout is at an all-time high, with some studies saying two-thirds of employees now cite job burnout as a major challenge.

Overwork and chronic stress do not just drain energy, they can erode health, contributing to a wide range of psychological and physical problems, including depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease and even increased stroke risk.

Shaina Siber offers solutions rooted in science in her new book, Using ACT and CFT for Burnout Recovery: The Beyond Burnout Blueprint, with strategies to help people in high pressure situations break the cycle of exhaustion.

What is burnout

The term “burnout,” coined by psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s, described a state of physical and mental exhaustion among workers. Decades later, the World Health Organization formally recognised burnout as an “occupational phenomenon,” characterised by exhaustion, cynicism, detachment and reduced effectiveness.

“Burnout isn’t just making us miserable; it’s making us sick. Half a century after naming the problem, we are left collectively scratching our heads on how to resolve it.

“If you’re experiencing burnout, chances are you’ve already tried to ‘fix’ it. Maybe you leaned into conventional wisdom: More exercise, more sleep, more meditation, more sunshine, more kale. Maybe you bought into the idea that a vacation or spa day would reset your system.

“Here’s the truth: We cannot rely on “good vibes only” for finding our way out of burnout. There aren’t enough green juices, yoga classes, or massages in the world to self-care burnout into submission. Even the most restorative vacation glow often evaporates before you’ve finished unpacking,” Siber explains.

Siber says that while we cannot ignore the systemic realities that drive burnout, such as unsafe staffing, impossible workloads, workplace discrimination and other pervasive and damaging issues, we can acknowledge these challenges and find a way to cope that does not cause us physical and psychological harm.

“I do not ask people to deny or minimise these issues; or pretend they don’t matter. But burnout isn’t something you can simply eliminate once your external circumstances change. Pain and challenge are inevitable in work, and in life,” she says.

Burnout: A neurological and psychological perspective

Burnout is more than just feeling tired, it’s a state of chronic stress that rewires the brain. Science tells us that prolonged stress activates the amygdala, the brain’s fear centre, while suppressing activity in the prefrontal cortex, which governs decision-making and emotional regulation.

This imbalance leaves individuals stuck in survival mode, unable to access the psychological flexibility needed to recover.

Siber explains: “Burnout often pulls us into mental time travel: replaying the past, catastrophising the future, or checking out altogether. Burnout isn’t just about exhaustion; it’s about the erosion of meaning, connection, and agency in our lives.”

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) offer a way to recalibrate.

ACT promotes a concept called ‘radical acceptance’ to encourage psychological flexibility, the ability to stay present, open up to difficult experiences and take action in keeping with wider goals. Meeting difficult situations with acceptance can alter the brain’s neural responses to difficult thoughts and emotions by reducing the hyperactivity in the brain’s Default Mode Network (DMN), which is linked to rumination and self-centred thinking, while improving the connections between the higher-thinking parts and emotional processing centres for more measured responses.

CFT complements this by using compassion to reduce the control of the brain’s fear centre, regulate the nervous system and activate the brain’s affiliative pathways that promote safeness and connection. Together, these approaches help individuals move from survival mode to thriving.

A science-based blueprint for burnout recovery

Siber’s Beyond Burnout Blueprint integrates ACT and CFT into a framework designed to tackle burnout at its roots, as opposed to tempering its impact with lifestyle adjustments.

Unlike conventional wellness fixes, which often focus on short-term nervous system regulation techniques like exercise or meditation, this approach goes further into the psychological and systemic bodily reactions that fuel burnout.

The framework begins with creating a vision, which involves clarifying your deeply held values to serve as a guide throughout the process.

“Imagine the life you’re building toward, not just the challenges you’re trying to escape,” Siber explains.

Then, the process entails welcoming the unwanted, which involves learning how to sit with discomfort rather than suppressing it, thereby fostering resilience and emotional openness.

Watching your words is another critical step, focusing on minimising unhelpful narratives that fuel self-criticism and replacing them with more compassionate and flexible self-talk. Far from being a ‘nice-to-have’, compassion helps to regulate the nervous system.

“Practicing fierce compassion is essential for cultivating self-compassion, which softens the grip of burnout and promotes emotional healing,” Siber explains.

“Compassion makes the flexibility ACT cultivates more accessible and sustainable.

“Compassion, especially self-compassion, isn’t a finish line you cross once. It’s a lifelong relationship you tend to, one choice, one breath, one moment at a time.”

Also, people should identify their strengths and what matters to them, allowing them to rediscover what energises and fulfils them, she suggests.

Siber’s describes exercises designed to help apply these principles in their daily lives. The “Spotting Inflexibility” exercise, for instance, helps individuals identify patterns of psychological rigidity that fuel burnout. By noticing these patterns without judgement, readers can begin to shift their responses.

Burnout in high-pressure professions

Burnout doesn’t discriminate, but it disproportionately affects those in high-stakes fields like healthcare, education, law, finance, and tech.

Siber highlights the unique challenges faced by these professions, from moral injury in healthcare to the relentless demands of competitive corporate cultures.

For leaders and teams, she emphasises the importance of systemic change, such as fair workloads, flexible arrangements and psychologically safe environments.

“True prevention requires redesigning work itself,” Siber says. “Fair workloads, trained managers, and accessible mental health resources are essential.”

For people in high pressure roles, Siber explains why nurturing resilience is a more sustainable tactic than lifestyle changes: “Burnout resilience allows you to regulate, refocus, and rise when burnout shows up. It’s not about working harder to fix yourself. It’s about learning to move through discomfort without losing sight of what matters most.”

This post was originally published on Taylor & Francis Group Newsroom and is republished on DIW with permission.

Image: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash

Reviewed by Irfan Ahmad

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• Tech companies are blaming massive layoffs on AI. What’s really going on?

• Political Unrest Is the Leading Cause of Internet Shutdowns
by External Contributor via Digital Information World

Political Unrest Is the Leading Cause of Internet Shutdowns

by Tristan Gaudiaut, Data Journalist Statista

Governments around the world continued to impose restrictions on internet access in 2025, often in response to political tensions and public unrest. According to data from Surfshark, political turmoil was by far the leading cause of such measures last year. As our chart shows, 25 regional internet shutdowns and 16 nationwide shutdowns were linked to political instability, along with 10 cases involving the blocking of social media platforms.

Protests were another major trigger. Authorities imposed 13 regional shutdowns and three social media blocks in response to demonstrations. Elections also played a role, particularly when governments sought to control the flow of information during sensitive political periods. In 2025, six nationwide shutdowns and five social media blocks were linked to election-related concerns.

These measures include actions such as blocking websites, restricting social media platforms or messaging services and imposing regional or nationwide internet shutdowns. Many of these restrictions were concentrated in Asia and Africa. Governments in ten Asian countries introduced 56 new restrictions in 2025, while eight African countries accounted for another 20 cases. India recorded the highest number of incidents, imposing 24 restrictions during the year, often linked to political unrest or protests. Other countries reporting multiple incidents included Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran, where authorities repeatedly limited internet access during periods of tension or demonstrations.

Note: This post originally appeared on Statista and is republished on DIW under Creative Commons License (CC BY‑ND).

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• 2026 Social Media Benchmark: TikTok Engagement Soars 49% YoY to 3.70%, Instagram Holds 0.48%, Facebook 0.15%, X Drops to 0.12%
by External Contributor via Digital Information World

2026 Social Media Benchmark: TikTok Engagement Soars 49% YoY to 3.70%, Instagram Holds 0.48%, Facebook 0.15%, X Drops to 0.12%

By Elena Cucu - Socialinsider

These social media benchmarks for 2026 will help you empower your strategy. See how your brand stacks up against industry standards.

If I were to ask where your brand feels most “seen” online, would you pick TikTok? Instagram? Facebook or X? Maybe all of them—depending on what you’re hoping to spark with your latest post.

Let’s be real: audiences are moving faster than ever, and sometimes all you get is a scroll, a silent view, or the occasional quick “like.” On other days, your community comes alive, commenting, sharing, or even starting a conversation that takes on a life of its own.

With platform habits and algorithms always changing, it can be tough to know what real engagement actually looks like anymore.

That’s why Socialinsider analyzed 70M social media posts across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X, to understand the future of social media, audience interactions, and how brands can better prepare their strategies for 2026.

This Socialinsider 2026 social media benchmarks report analyzes engagement rates, impressions, likes, comments, shares, and posting frequency benchmarks across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

By understanding these trends, brands can identify opportunities, optimize their content strategies, and enhance their social media return on investment (ROI).

Executive summary

• TikTok’s engagement rate is 3.70%, up 49% YoY. Instagram’s engagement rate is 0.48%, staying almost flat in 2025.
• Facebook averaged 0.15% engagement, dipping in early 2025 and declining gradually afterward.
• Average comments per post fell on TikTok (24%) and Instagram (16%), suggesting a shift toward more passive engagement.
• TikTok recorded notable growth in shares per post, increasing by 45% YoY, mirroring the upward trend in overall engagement. As for Instagram, it registered a 12% increase.
• Both TikTok and Instagram experienced an increase in video views. TikTok had a 3% growth rate, while Instagram had a more pronounced 29% YoY growth rate.
• Brands post an average of 5 posts per week on Instagram and TikTok.

Social media benchmarks 2026 by platform

Platform	2024 Engagement Rate	2025 Engagement Rate
TikTok	2.50%	3.70%
Instagram	0.50%	0.48%
Facebook	0.15%	0.15%
X	0.15%	0.12%

Each year, the landscape of social media engagement evolves—driven by shifting user behavior, algorithm changes, and brands’ creative strategies.

Keeping up to date with the latest social media benchmarks becomes more crucial than ever for marketers wanting to set informed goals, outperform competitors, or report on campaign success. Because, as we all know, engagement benchmarks digging is so much more than finding and putting a pin on a number - it’s about context, clarity, and the confidence to know you’re putting your effort in the right place.

Whether you’re aiming to improve your TikTok performance, curious about the average engagement rate on Facebook, or looking for that sweet spot on Instagram, understanding these social media engagement benchmarks will help you set realistic targets (and brag a bit about your wins).

So, how did engagement shift in over the past year across the biggest platforms? Let’s break it down:

• TikTok: TikTok made headlines yet again, with engagement rates leaping from 2.50% to a standout 3.73%, registering an impressive 49% YoY growth. For brands looking to push boundaries or tap into new audiences, TikTok’s growth cements its role as the go-to channel for high energy and high returns.

• Instagram: Here’s where it gets interesting. Instagram’s engagement rate nudged down a touch, from 0.50% to 0.48%. It might not feel like much, but even a slight drop is worth noting. Still, if you ever wondered “what is the average Instagram engagement rate?” or how it compares, you’ve got your answer: Instagram remains a step above Facebook when it comes to sparking conversations and connections.

• Facebook: You might be surprised, or maybe not, that the average Facebook engagement rate hasn’t budged—it’s holding strong at 0.15% year-over-year. For many brands, this means expectations on Facebook should be steady: you’re playing in a mature, less volatile space. If you’re asking what the average Facebook engagement rate is in 2026, it’s still 0.15%, so you know exactly what to aim for.

• X: And what about X? The platform saw a subtle slide in engagement rates, dipping from 0.15% in 2024 to 0.12% in 2025. For brands that still invest in X, this signals a need for sharper content strategies and perhaps a rethink on how best to capture attention in a changing environment. While the numbers are modest, they offer a valuable reminder: standing still isn’t an option if you want to keep your audience engaged on X.

The engagement gap exists because people use these platforms very differently. Instagram is still largely about polished, aesthetic curation, while TikTok feels more raw, authentic, and immediate.

On TikTok, people don’t just scroll for inspiration. They actively look for answers. Whether it’s finding a restaurant in London, a solution for acne, or an honest review of the latest Marvel movie, users are increasingly going straight to TikTok instead of Google. But it goes beyond utility. TikTok is where people find communities around very specific interests and, in many cases, a sense of belonging.

The “For You” page plays a huge role in this. Discovery on TikTok feels effortless. The algorithm shows you what you want before you even know you’re looking for it. That’s what fuels deeper engagement. TikTok shortens the distance between users and the content they actually care about, while Instagram is still catching up when it comes to frictionless discovery. - Morgane Wasilewski, Social Media Manager at Channable

Strategic tactics to increase your engagement rate across platforms

Looking to turn benchmark insights into real results? Here are a few proven tactics to help boost engagement rate across your social channels:

• Humanize your brand: Show real people, stories, and behind-the-scenes moments. Audiences engage more with authenticity than with “stock” or overtly polished content.
• Embrace platform-specific features: Polls on X, Reels on Instagram, native stories—each feature comes with algorithmic boosts and higher user participation.
• Invest in powerful hooks: Capture attention right away—whether through a dynamic visual, a bold headline, or a pressing question. The faster you deliver a reason for audiences to interact with you, the more engagement your content will rack up.

Average likes per post across platforms

Platform	2024 Average Likes per Post	2025 Average Likes per Post
TikTok	3092	3492
Instagram	395	335
Facebook	155	255
X	40	15

It’s no secret that a quick glance at your like count gives you a pulse check on how your content is resonating. But averages across platforms?

That’s where benchmarks become real-world roadmaps, helping you answer “Are we ahead of the curve, or is there room to grow?”

• TikTok: Still the pulse-raiser of the social scene, TikTok stands out for its consistently high appetite for content. User enthusiasm hasn’t just stayed strong—it’s elevated (by 12%) showing that audiences are not only present but actively rewarding creative, eye-catching posts. If you’re leaning into trends and keeping things fresh, TikTok is still the go-to channel for visible, organic love.

• Instagram: This year brought a subtle shift for Instagram—while likes remain a core part of the experience, there’s a distinct sense of rising competition, with likes decreasing by 15% compared to previous values. The platform’s atmosphere has grown a bit more competitive, meaning it now takes even more creativity and true community-building to earn those taps. For brands, it’s a cue to double down on originality and ensure your content has a genuine point of view.

• Facebook: Defying expectations, Facebook managed a quiet resurgence in user engagement, gaining with 64% more likes compared to the previous year. For brands that really listen to their audience and tailor content accordingly, Facebook can surely ensure success. It’s a reminder that authenticity and relevance can still move the needle on legacy platforms—even when trends seem to point elsewhere.

• X: With a 62% YoY decrease in likes, it's becoming clearer that audiences here are becoming more selective and thoughtful, making every like harder to earn but potentially more meaningful. Brands can’t afford to phone it in: winning attention on X now requires sharper, more relevant content and a willingness to rethink what real engagement means on this platform.

Instagram likes are declining not because content is weaker, but because the platform prioritizes watch time, saves, and shares over passive engagement. Users increasingly interact through DMs and private channels, which don't show up in public metrics. The engagement isn't gone. It's just moved to the actions that actually drive reach.

Facebook's like rebound shows what happens when brands stop treating every platform the same and remember that Facebook was built for community, not distribution. Conversational posts that speak directly to existing audiences lower the friction to engage, making likes a natural response again. It's proof that platform-native strategy beats cross-posting every time.– Valeria Sillani, Global Social Media Manager at EasyVista and OTRS

Strategic tactics to increase your likes across platforms

Here are several strategic moves you can use across any network to turn more of your audience into active fans:

• Offer quick-win tips, hacks, or inspiration: Share bite-sized advice, “did you know?” facts, or motivational messages that provide instant value—content that’s useful or heartening tends to get more likes and shares.
• Optimize your visual storytelling: Prioritize striking imagery, bold graphics, or stop-motion visuals that stand out immediately in crowded feeds. High-quality, scroll-stopping visuals are often rewarded with more likes at first glance.
• Create recurring series with an interactive hook: Establish an ongoing content theme—such as “Monday Motivation” or “Ask Me Anything Wednesdays”—that encourages habitual interaction. When followers come to expect (and look forward to) consistent, interactive posts, likes tend to grow over time.

Average comments across platforms

Platform	2024 Average Comments per Post	2025 Average Comments per Post
TikTok	66	50
Instagram	24	20
Facebook	17	22
X	1	1

Comments are where true engagement lives—where audiences pause the scroll, join the conversation, and leave their mark. But not all platforms spark dialogue equally, and this year brought some interesting shifts in the art of getting people talking.

• TikTok: The buzz is real, but conversation is getting more selective. While TikTok still inspires tons of quick reactions, users are now less likely to jump into long comment threads, the platform scoring a 24% decrease YoY in comments generated. This is a sign the platform’s interaction style is evolving—quick, high-energy content still rules, but deeper exchanges may need a new approach.

• Instagram: Engagement through comments remains a pillar on Instagram, though it’s on a gentle downward slope (scoring a 20% YoY decrease). With so much content competing for attention, getting followers to pause and say something requires more intentional prompts and community-minded hooks.

• Facebook: The original home of social dialogue is regaining some spark, registering a 20% increase in the number of comments generated. Despite the platform’s age, Facebook posts are seeing livelier comment sections, pointing to the value of familiar formats and trusted communities. When brands nurture discussion and invite open input, their audience is ready to chime in.

• X: The nature of engagement here is brief and immediate; most users scroll, like, or move on. For those aiming to build actual conversation threads, success now depends on delivering hot takes or timely commentary that simply can’t be ignored.

Comments require time, and users are looking for quicker ways to engage with content. Instead of reacting publicly, they are forwarding content to friends privately or in group chats. This points to a shift toward connection-driven engagement.

It’s also important to note that Gen-Z is often described as the “spectator generation”, highly tuned in but selected about when and where they speak.

Also, platforms and algorithms are ever-changing. We’ve seen an increase in prioritisation around watch time and shares which could also explain this shift in behaviour. Overall, this shift tells us that users still care about content but they prefer to engage privately rather than through a public thread, leaving no trail. - Melody Doffman, Social Media Manager at Nestlé

Strategic tactics to increase your comments across platforms

Here are strategic tactics to help spark (and sustain) a lively comment section across any platform:

• Ask for feedback, ideas, or suggestions: Request input on new products, features, or content directions. Phrasing like “What should we try next?” or “How can we improve?” empowers your audience and shows that their voice matters, motivating them to comment.
• Share unfinished stories or open-ended scenarios: Post cliffhangers, “what would you do?” questions, or stories with missing pieces. The curiosity and desire to weigh in encourage followers to fill in the blanks and keep the conversation going.
• Partner with micro-influencers for authentic collabs: Instead of big-budget sponsorships, tap niche or local creators who align with your brand values. Their loyal, engaged audiences trust their content—meaning your brand message gets a genuine boost in both reach and interaction.

Average shares across platforms

Platform	2024 Average Shares per Post	2025 Average Shares per Post
TikTok	170	248
Instagram	40	45
Facebook	13	17
X	1	1

As audiences grow more selective—often opting to scroll, swipe, or simply “like” in silence—the humble share has taken on a whole new significance. Shares are now the gold standard of audience action: proof that your content strikes a chord deep enough for someone to broadcast it beyond their own feed.

This shift is especially telling as passive consumption climbs across nearly every network. In a climate where getting users to even pause is a win, inspiring them to hit “share” says you’ve delivered true value—something worth amplifying

This year’s trends show that while not every platform is built equally for virality, every channel offers unique opportunities to inspire that all-powerful share.

• TikTok: Virality is thriving on TikTok. Sharing culture on this platform keeps gaining momentum as users enthusiastically boost what entertains, educates, or hits a cultural nerve. For creators and brands with their finger on the pulse, TikTok continues to deliver unmatched share potential, actually registering a 45% more shares generated YoY.
  
  
• Instagram: Sharing on Instagram maintained its slow-but-steady climb, increasing by 12%. While the share button isn’t the platform’s star, consistently shareable content—think valuable tips, memes, or beautiful visuals—means audiences are a bit more willing to spread the love to DMs and Stories.
  
  
• Facebook: Sharing has seen an uptick on Facebook as well (increasing by 30%), confirming that meaningful, relatable content still finds its way to broader audiences here. Tapping into personal connections and community-focused posts is your in-road to more organic reach.
  
  
• X: Shares (retweets) on X remain flat, underscoring the challenge of igniting widespread conversation. To cut through, content must be especially bold, timely, or divisive—otherwise, users are much more likely to observe than amplify.

Strategic tactics to increase your shares across platforms

Turning scrollers into sharers is a mark of resonance on any platform. While TikTok leads the pack, every social network rewards content that taps into emotion or value—so focus on creating posts people can’t wait to show others.

• Leverage user-generated content (UGC): Spotlight posts, stories, and case studies from real customers and followers. Audiences are more likely to share content that features themselves or people they relate to—plus, UGC brings an instant credibility boost.
• Tap into emotion—humor, awe, or inspiration: Content that makes people laugh, grabs their attention, or lifts their spirits is naturally shareable. Lean into moments or messages that spark a strong reaction, and your followers will want to pass it on.
• Encourage sharing as a form of participation: Invite your audience to be part of a movement—whether it's tagging friends, joining a challenge, or sharing their take on a topic. When sharing becomes a way to participate, your reach multiplies.

If marketers want to drive more shares, they need to focus on content people genuinely want to send to their group chats. That might be something highly relatable, genuinely useful, creatively inspiring, or simply something that makes people smile. The common thread is value — your content needs to earn its place in someone’s scroll.

Sharing is also a form of self-expression. When people share a post, they’re signaling their interests, values, or sense of humor. Pay attention to your own behavior here: when you share content from other brands or creators, save it and ask how that idea could be adapted for your brand.

You also don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Analyze your most-shared posts to spot patterns in topics or formats, and don’t hesitate to repurpose what’s already worked. As marketers, we see everything we publish but the average follower doesn’t, which makes revisiting strong ideas even more effective. - Elissa Wardrop, Social Media Specialist at IKEA

Average views across platforms

Platform	2024 Average Views per Post	2025 Average Views per Post
TikTok	6268	6496
Instagram	2635	3403
Facebook	1100	913
X	1430	2979

Views are the foundation of social success: every like, comment, or share begins with someone simply watching. But viewing habits aren’t static, and shifts in how (and where) people consume content reveal where the action—and the opportunity—truly lie.

• TikTok: Momentum remains strong on TikTok. Audiences are consistently turning up in high numbers, increasing its average number of views by 3% YoY, with the platform continuing to be the go-to for viral reach. Creativity and trend-savvy content still get rewarded with widespread visibility here.

• Instagram: Instagram saw an impressive lift in viewership, (of 29%) which may be part due to Instagram’s new way of measuring views (in 2025 impressions turned into views). The takeaway: Instagram is quickly becoming a powerful place for brands to grow their reach—especially with snackable, visually compelling content.

• Facebook: Views dipped slightly on Facebook (by 17%), signaling that organic reach is becoming more challenging. To capture attention here, brands need to experiment with format, timing, and hyper-relevant topics to stand out amid the noise.

• X: The platform saw a notable burst in viewership this year (registering a 50% increase), likely tied to viral moments and broader shifts in platform culture. Short-form, news-driven, and visually engaging content now has a clearer runway to reach broad audiences, offering renewed potential for brands willing to play bold.

In 2025, Instagram’s discovery engine pushed content further and faster than ever. With Reels now driving over 20% of time spent on the platform and expanded to three minutes, brands have more surfaces and more time to earn attention. Discovery no longer depends on follower count. Video-first content and collaborations are what the algorithm rewards, allowing even smaller brands to reach thousands organically and generate meaningful views without relying solely on paid spend. - Sara Zuehlke, Senior Social Media Strategist at Digible

Strategic tactics to increase your views across platforms

Ready to get your content in front of more eyes? Try these proven tactics to expand and drive up your view counts across every platform:

• Tap into cultural moments and real-time events: React to trending news, holidays, or viral topics with your brand’s unique angle. Timely, relevant reactions often earn higher views as audiences dive in on what everyone’s already talking about.
• Encourage team or employee sharing: Motivate internal team members or brand ambassadors to share your content to their networks, multiplying early exposure and attracting new eyes.
• Leverage eye-catching thumbnails and titles: Design strong, curiosity-driven thumbnails and headlines that stand out and make audiences want to click and watch.

The increase in views is a real opportunity for brands that felt priced out of reach before. As views go up, the pressure to be perfect goes down. What matters more now is showing up consistently with a clear point of view, focusing on creative, relevance, and storytelling rather than constant selling. Views open the door, but long-term brand building, recognition through repetition, and what you do once people are paying attention is what truly drives impact.” - Victoria I. , Brand Manager at fatjoe

Monthly posting frequency benchmarks

Platform	2024 Average Posts per Month	2025 Average Posts per Month
TikTok	15	15
Instagram	20	20
Facebook	47	24
X	50	70

How often you show up matters just as much as what you share. Here’s a quick look at how posting rhythms are evolving—and what that means for your brand’s visibility on each platform:

• TikTok: Consistency remains key—brands are sticking to a steady output. The platform rewards regular participation, but without overwhelming audiences. It’s all about maintaining momentum with a relaxed but reliable posting rhythm.

• Instagram: Post volume is holding steady, signaling that on Instagram, it’s quality and variety (think posts, Stories, and Reels), not just quantity, that keeps audiences engaged and algorithms happy.

• Facebook: A sharp reduction in post frequency (a 48% decrease) points to a more intentional approach, with brands moving away from volume and toward curated, high-value updates that cut through the crowded feed.

• X: Posting pace has accelerated (by 40%), underscoring the platform’s real-time, always-on nature. Timely, high-volume posting is still the route to relevance—and missing a beat could mean missing the conversation entirely.

The X platform rewards speed and conversation, not polished, curated, or aesthetic content. Brands need to stop treating X like it needs a content calendar. Encourage team members to engage in relevant conversations rather than creating only batched posts.

Set up monitoring or social listening tools for industry keywords, have clear brand guidelines, and let people be human. One authentic reply can outperform a week of scheduled posts. – Bukunmi Weke, Social media Strategist

For well-resourced teams with strong creative and production processes, posting 5 times per week is great as Socialinsider's benchmarks also point out. But for many brands especially a small marketing team chasing frequency quickly becomes a creativity trap.

The number itself isn’t the issue; consistency and value are. I’d always choose fewer, higher quality posts that genuinely resonate over hitting an arbitrary posting target.” – Danielle Mote , Social media specialist, Construct It and BJS

Strategic tactics to optimize your posting strategy

Want to make every post count? Try these practical tactics to fine-tune your posting cadence and keep your audience engaged—no matter the platform:

• Batch-create and schedule your content: Planning in advance ensures consistency (even on busy weeks) and helps you find the right frequency without burning out.
• Mix formats and content types: Don’t just rely on the same kind of post—rotate videos, images, carousels, Stories, or even live sessions to engage different audience segments and keep your feed fresh.
• Use analytics to spot your sweet spot: Monitor when your audience is most active and which posting patterns yield the highest engagement, then fine-tune your calendar accordingly.

Methodology

Within this social media benchmarking report, Socialinsider provide a representative sample of international brands with an active presence on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, between January 2024 - December 2025. The findings of this study are based on the analysis of 70M social media posts.

Socialinsider define social media engagement rate as measurable interactions on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok posts, including comments, reactions, and shares, with the particularities for each platform.

Facebook engagement rate per post (by followers): Facebook engagement rate per post is calculated as the sum of reactions, comments, and shares on the post divided by the total number of fans that page has. The result is then multiplied by 100.

Instagram engagement rate per post (by followers): Instagram engagement rate per post is calculated as the sum of likes and comments on the post divided by the total number of followers that page has. The result is then multiplied by 100.

Twitter engagement rate per post (by followers): Twitter engagement rate per post is calculated as the sum of likes and Retweets received on the Tweet divided by the total number of followers that page has. The result is then multiplied by 100.

TikTok engagement rate per post (by followers): TikTok engagement rate is calculated as the sum of likes, comments, shares, and saves on the post divided by the total number of followers that page has. The result is then multiplied by 100.

Average likes per post: represents how many likes a post receives on average.

Average comments per post: represents how many comments a post receives on average.

Average shares per post: represents how many shares a post receives on average.

Average views per post: represents how many views a post receives on average.

Note: This post originally appeared on SocialInsider and is republished here with permission.

Reviewed by Ayaz Khan.

Read next: Content Marketing Job Trends: Mid-Level Down 70%+, Senior Up 300%+, AI Now Expected in 34% of Senior Roles

by External Contributor via Digital Information World

Content Marketing Job Trends: Mid-Level Down 70%+, Senior Up 300%+, AI Now Expected in 34% of Senior Roles

Author: Margarita Loktionova, Contributors: Cecilia Meis and Anna Yudina

In 2026, companies aren’t just hiring content marketers to write blog posts or manage calendars.

They want them to own visibility across search, AI-driven discovery, and storytelling and to prove impact.

To understand how the content marketing profession is shifting, Semrush analyzed 8,000 content marketing job listings across the US.

Semrush looked at job titles, skills, responsibilities, salaries, degree requirements, and AI expectations  and explored the top trends for this year.

Methodology

To understand the trajectory of the 2026 job market, Semrush analyzed 8,000 content marketing job listings from Indeed.com (US) as of November 25, 2025.

Here’s how Semrush approached it:

• Data collection and cleaning: Because many roles appeared under multiple job titles (e.g., a “Content Manager” listing also showing up in “Content Strategist” results), Semrush deduplicated overlapping postings and normalized roles by job function, resulting in a final dataset of 8,000 unique listings.
• Segmentation by seniority: Semrush team categorized the market into two distinct groups—Senior Positions (including Head, Director, VP, Chief, Lead, and Executive roles) and Other Positions—to compare requirements across career stages.
• Semantic extraction: Semrush analyzed the raw text of each listing to identify the frequency of specific marketing skills, educational requirements, and emerging AI-related keywords.
• Trend analysis: Semrush also compared the findings to 2023 data from its previous study to see how requirements have shifted over the last three years.

Key Findings

Across current job listings, employers increasingly describe content roles in terms of analytics, narrative building, AI literacy, SEO, and measurable outcomes.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the findings:

• Execution-heavy roles now make up 34% of listings, while demand for mid-level generalist titles dropped by 70%+ since 2023; at the same time, senior ownership roles (Head / VP of Content) grew by 300–375%.
• Analytics appears in 40% of senior roles and 36% of non-senior roles, while storytelling follows closely at 29% and 27%, reflecting higher expectations around measurement, narrative control, and business impact.
• “Content creation” is replacing “writing” as the primary execution skill: mentions of writing fell by 28% since 2023, while content creation requirements increased by 209%, potentially reflecting demand for multi-format output.
• Salaries increased across the market: median pay reached $161,500 for senior roles (+54%) and $80,000 for non-senior roles (+29%), with maximum salaries rising sharply at both levels.
• AI is becoming a baseline expectation rather than a specialization: 34% of senior roles and 19% of non-senior roles mention AI, but highly specific skills (prompt engineering, AI content creation) still appear in <1% of listings.

Let’s explore what the data says.

1. The Content Marketing Job Market Has Split Into Two Extremes

Content marketing roles in 2026 are clustering around execution and senior ownership:

• The "Content SEO Manager" has become a top-tier title: Titles combining content ownership and SEO now account for 20% of all listings—matching “Content Creator” for the highest volume in the study. This signals a clear shift toward roles that sit at the intersection of content production, search performance, and AI-driven discovery.
• Hands-on content roles are seeing the highest growth: "Content Producer" listings increased by 1,261% and "Content Creator" listings rose by 410%, making these two roles a combined 34% of the total market Semrush analyzed.
• Senior leadership demand is expanding rapidly: Postings for "Head of Content Marketing" grew by 376% and "VP of Content" by 308%. This means there is a growing demand for high-level executives to own the entire content department—and most likely oversee AI workflows.
• Mid-level roles remain common but show the steepest decline in new demand: "Content Marketing Manager" is still the third most frequent title (14% of listings), but new job postings for this role dropped by 73% compared to 2023. Similarly, "Content Marketing Specialist" listings fell by 74%, suggesting that companies may be slowly moving away from such generalist titles.

2. Analytics and Storytelling Become Primary Requirements Across All Levels

Data literacy and narrative skills are now the top-tier requirements for content professionals:

• Analytics is the #1 requested skill for senior positions: Analytics—the ability to collect and interpret data—appears in 40% of leadership listings and 36% of other positions. This indicates that companies prioritize content marketers who can make data-driven decisions.
• Storytelling has surged to become a top-three requirement for senior content roles. Narrative expertise now appears in 29% of senior postings—up from just 8% in 2023—signaling a growing expectation that content leaders own messaging, positioning, and narrative direction. Especially as AI-generated content is becoming more common.
• Execution roles show a pivot toward "Content Creation" over pure "Writing": When comparing the data to 2023 findings, Semrush saw that the requirement for "Writing" fell by 28% in execution-level roles, while "Content Creation" rose by 209%. This suggests that employers are looking for multimedia creators who can produce content across various formats.
• SEO is now a standard requirement for content marketing roles: SEO appears in 20% of senior listings and 28% of non-senior roles, showing that search knowledge is no longer limited to specialists but expected across many content positions.

3. Data Analysis and Narrative Strategy Become the Core of Content Work

The distribution of responsibilities in content marketing job listings is aligned with the key marketing skills, focusing on performance analysis, PR, and storytelling:

• Data collection and analysis is the most frequent responsibility for senior content roles:  This responsibility appears in 42% of senior listings, representing a 369% increase since 2023. For non-senior positions, it grew by 818%—appearing in 37% of job listings.
• Workflow automation has emerged as a codified requirement: "Automate workflows" is now explicitly listed as a responsibility in 13-17% of all content roles.
• The "Follow Industry Trends" requirement has skyrocketed for non-senior roles: Based on the comparison with 2023 data, this task grew by 766% for execution roles.

4. AI Literacy is a Growing Requirement for Content Marketing Roles

AI proficiency is quickly becoming a core expectation for content professionals, with 34% of senior job listings and nearly 20% of execution-level roles mentioning “AI.”

Mentions of LLM and general AI familiarity also appear in 7% of senior roles and 5% of non-senior roles.

The data also reveals emerging specialized categories:

• AI Search & SEO 2.0: Listings mentioning SGE, AEO, or AI Search account for 2% of senior roles and 1.5% of others. This reflects the push to adapt content for AI search.
• AI content creation: While currently a smaller percentage (0.8% and 0.6% respectively), the inclusion of this skill shows that AI-assisted content production is becoming part of content marketing work.
• Prompt engineering: Though often discussed as a "job of the future," it currently appears in less than 0.5% of listings. This may indicate prompt engineering hasn’t been formalized as a standalone requirement yet.

5. Technical Degrees Rise as Traditional Liberal Arts Requirements Fade

The educational background required for content roles is shifting away from traditional liberal arts toward more technical and business-oriented degrees:

• Senior roles are pivoting toward business and ROI-focused backgrounds: "Business" is now the #2 most requested degree for senior positions (14.6%), followed closely by "Communication" (13.6%).
• The demand for traditional "writing-heavy" degrees is declining: Requirements for "English" degrees fell by 47% for executive roles, while "Journalism" saw a 37% drop compared to 2023.
• Senior content roles are increasingly intersecting with technical domains. While Computer Science degrees still appear in only 7% of leadership listings, their 400% increase since 2023 points to rising demand for technical fluency alongside traditional content leadership skills.

6. Content Marketing Salaries Surge as Strategic Value Increases

Since 2023, compensation for content professionals has increased across all levels:

• Content marketing salaries rose sharply across both senior and non-senior roles. Since 2023, median pay has increased by 54% for senior positions and 29% for other roles, reflecting higher baseline compensation as content work takes on more strategic responsibility.
• Executive compensation is reaching record highs: While the maximum reached $840,000, likely reflecting equity or global scope, the median of $161,500 better represents typical senior compensation.

7. Remote Work Options Grow Across Content Roles

Remote work options have grown steadily since 2023, while the majority of content marketing roles remain in-house. About 31% of senior and non-senior positions are now advertised as remote, up from roughly 24% in 2023.

• Remote work listings now account for nearly one-third of the market: Remote options represent 31% of senior roles and 32% of other roles.
• In-house roles remain the primary format but show lower growth: While roughly 69% of listings are for in-house positions, these grew by only 3% since 2023.
• Senior roles are increasingly advertised as remote: The 25% increase in remote senior listings shows that high-level management and strategic roles are being offered with flexible location options more frequently.

The Content Marketing Career: Practical Takeaways

In 2026, content marketers aren’t evaluated on output alone. They’re expected to own discovery, drive results, and understand performance.

Here’s what this means in practice:

• Expand your skills beyond content creation into SEO and AI-driven search. Because many teams expect content marketers to own whether content gets seen, candidates should build a working knowledge of SEO fundamentals and how AI search surfaces content.

• Show how your work drives outcomes. Job listings increasingly reference performance, visibility, and impact. Be ready to explain what your content achieved with metrics like rankings, traffic, conversions, etc.

• Position storytelling as a business skill. Narrative work shows up alongside responsibilities like PR, positioning, and strategy. Frame your writing and creative skills in terms of brand influence and decision-making.

• Acknowledge AI explicitly in your experience. Because “AI” now appears a lot more often in content marketing job descriptions, candidates who mention how they’ve worked alongside AI tools (even at a high level) remove ambiguity for hiring teams.

• Be clear about the scope you can own. Many roles combine execution, analysis, and coordination. Define whether you’re strongest at leading direction, producing at scale, or owning projects end to end—and show proof.

Taken together, these changes point to a content role that’s less about output alone and more about ownership.

Semrush is built for this reality, helping marketers manage content, SEO, and AI visibility with data they can act on.

This post originally appeared on Semrush blog and is republished on DIW with permission.

Edited by Asim BN.

Read next: 

• Tech companies are blaming massive layoffs on AI. What’s really going on?

• Social media influencers increase the toxicity and power of misinformation, research shows

• AI may be making us think and write more alike

by External Contributor via Digital Information World

Tech companies are blaming massive layoffs on AI. What’s really going on?

In the past few months, a wave of tech corporations have announced significant staff cuts and attributed them to efficiency gains driven by artificial intelligence (AI).

Image: Berke Citak / Unsplash

Companies such as Atlassian, Block and Amazon have announced they would lay off thousands of employees due to increased reliance on AI.

The narrative these companies offer is consistent: AI is making human labour replaceable, and responsible management demands adjustment.

The evidence, however, tells a more nuanced story.

The automation story is partly true

Genuine disruption is visible in specific corners of the labour market, though the scale of that disruption is commonly overstated. Research from Anthropic published earlier this month shows that although many work tasks are susceptible to automation, the vast majority are still performed primarily by humans rather than AI tools.

Moreover, some occupations are more exposed to displacement than others: computer programmers sit at the top of the list, followed by customer service representatives and data entry workers. Yet even within the most exposed occupations, AI use is still limited.

The aggregate economic data reflects this reality. A 2025 Goldman Sachs report estimated that if AI were used across the economy for all the things it could currently do, roughly 2.5% of US employment would be at risk of job loss.

That’s not a trivial number. However, the report notes that workers in AI-exposed occupations are currently no more likely to lose their jobs, face reduced hours, or earn lower wages than anyone else.

The report does note early signs of strain in specific industries. Goldman Sachs identifies sectors where employment growth has slowed that align with AI-related efficiency gains. Examples include marketing consulting, graphic design, office administration and call centres.

In the tech sector, US workers in their 20s in AI-exposed occupations saw unemployment rise by almost 3% in the first half of 2025. Anthropic’s research also found that job-finding rates (the chance of an unemployed person finding a job in a one-month period) for workers aged 22–25 entering AI-exposed occupations have fallen by around 14% since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022. This is a tentative but telling signal about where the pressure is being felt first.

These are meaningful signals, but they are sector-specific and concentrated – not the evidence of sweeping displacement that corporate announcements often imply. That gap between the evidence and the rhetoric raises an obvious question: what else might be driving these decisions?

What is the motive?

The timing and framing of the layoffs attributed to AI layoffs warrants closer examination. Corporate restructuring, over-hiring during the post-pandemic boom as demand for online services soared, and pressure from investors to demonstrate improved profit margins are all forces operating at the same time as genuine advances in AI.

While these are not mutually exclusive explanations, they are rarely acknowledged alongside one another in corporate communications.

There is a powerful financial incentive for companies to be seen to be embracing AI aggressively. Since the launch of ChatGPT, AI-related stocks have accounted for about 75% of S&P 500 returns.

A workforce reduction framed around AI adoption sends a signal to investors that a straightforward cost-cutting announcement does not. A company making AI-related innovations looks a lot better than one sacking staff due to declining revenues or poor strategic decisions.

It is also worth distinguishing between two kinds of workforce reduction. In the first, AI genuinely increases productivity to the point where fewer workers are needed to produce the same output. In the second, staff reductions are not a consequence of AI, but a way to fund it.

Meta illustrates this distinction. The social media giant is reportedly planning to lay off as much as 20% of its workforce, while simultaneously committing US$600 billion to build data centres and recruit top AI researchers.

In this case, the workers being let go are not being replaced by AI today; they are subsidising the AI bet their employer is making on the future.

The more plausible future

The big picture is likely one of transformation rather than elimination. According to a recent PwC report, employment is still growing in most industries exposed to AI, although growth tends to be slower than in less exposed sectors.

At the same time, wages in AI-exposed industries are rising roughly twice as fast as in those least touched by the technology. Workers with AI skills command an average wage premium of about 56% across the industries analysed.

Together, the data points toward a flattening of the traditional workplace pyramid rather than mass displacement. Firms require fewer junior employees for routine analytical and administrative work, while experienced professionals who deploy AI tools effectively become more productive and command greater value.

AI is a consequential technology and will have a significant impact in the long term. What is in doubt is whether the dramatic, AI-attributed workforce reductions announced by individual companies accurately reflect that trajectory, or whether they conflate genuine technological change with decisions that would have been made regardless.

Making this distinction is not merely an academic exercise. It shapes how policymakers, educators and workers themselves understand the nature of the disruption they are navigating.

Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read next: 

• Social media influencers increase the toxicity and power of misinformation, research shows

• Why Seamless Experiences Start Behind the Scenes

by External Contributor via Digital Information World