The tech sector shed 78,557 jobs in Q1 2026, with 47.9% of those cuts — roughly 37,600 positions — directly attributed to AI automation, according to data compiled from company disclosures and layoff tracking services. Entry-level and junior roles bore the brunt: software developer employment among workers aged 22–25 has fallen nearly 20% since 2022, while the same metric for workers aged 35–49 rose 9%. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has warned that AI could eliminate up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. The divergence is stark: AI is simultaneously creating high-paying senior research and engineering roles while eliminating the rungs younger workers have traditionally used to break in.