Why read this: Big tech companies are in the news. They say AI is the reason they are cutting jobs. This article helps students see that the real story is more than one reason. It is short and clear, so A2 readers can follow the news with their classmates and families.
What to notice: Notice the key idea in the Meta part. Meta is cutting workers and at the same time spending a lot of money on AI. So the workers are really paying for the company's AI plan. Notice how the writer uses simple words like "first, second, third" to list reasons. Notice that "AI is changing work" is true, but it is not the only reason for job cuts.
Skills practised: Reading short news in simple sentences. Finding reasons in a text ("first... second... third..."). Understanding numbers in news (2.5 percent, 20 percent, 600 billion dollars). Learning two key words for the topic: lay off and data centres. Talking with a partner about what is the same and what is different in the company story and the expert story.
Tech companies blame AI for job cuts. Is that the full story?
Big tech firms say AI is taking jobs. But experts say there are other reasons too.
Tap any green word in the article to see its meaning.
Some big techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 companies are cutting jobs. They say AI is the reason. But expertsexpert: A person who knows a lot about a subject — 专家 say the real story is different.
Companies like Amazon, Atlassian and Block have laid off: When a company tells workers their job is finished. The workers did nothing wrong; the company just does not need them anymore. — 裁员（公司因业务原因结束员工的工作，不是因为员工表现不好） thousands of workers. Their message is simple. AI can do the work, so we need fewer people.
Is this true? In some jobs, yes. AI can write codecode: A system of words, numbers, or symbols used to represent something, or instructions for a computer. — 代码；密码；编码. AI can answer questions for customers. So young workers in tech jobs are finding it harder to get work.
But experts looked at the numbers. Most jobs are still done by people, not AI. A 2025 report said only about 2.5 percentpercent: A part or other object per hundred — 百分比 of US jobs are at real riskrisk: A possible adverse event or outcome — 风险 from AI right now. That is not very big.
So what is really going on? There are other reasons for the job cuts.
First, many tech companies hired too many workers after 2020. Now they want a smaller team.
Secondsecond: (with superlative) After the first; at the second rank — 次,第二, when a company says “AI” to investorsinvestor: A person or organisation that puts money into financial schemes or businesses with the expectation of profit. — 投资者, the shareshare: A financial instrument that shows that one owns a part of a company that provides the benefit of limited liability — 股票;股份 price often goes up. So saying “we are cutting jobs because of AI” sounds better than “our profitsprofit: Money that you gain by selling something for more than it cost you. — 利润；收益 are weakweak: Not having much physical strength or power. — 虚弱的；软弱的.”
Third, AI is very expensive. Big data centres: Very big buildings full of computers. AI needs these computers to work, and they cost a lot of money to build and run. — 数据中心（装满电脑的大型建筑，AI 运行需要这些电脑，建造和运行费用都很高） cost a lot of money. Meta plans to cut 20 percent of its workers. At the same time, Meta will spend 600 billionbillion: The number 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million). — 十亿 dollars on AI. The workers losing jobs are paying for the AI plan.
So AI is changing work. But it is not the only reason for these job cuts.
Some big techtech: Technology, especially as applied to a particular industry; a technology company or sector — 科技 companies are cutting jobs. They say AI is the reason. But expertsexpert: A person who knows a lot about a subject — 专家 say the real story is different.
Companies like Amazon, Atlassian and Block have laid off: When a company tells workers their job is finished. The workers did nothing wrong; the company just does not need them anymore. — 裁员（公司因业务原因结束员工的工作，不是因为员工表现不好） thousands of workers. Their message is simple. AI can do the work, so we need fewer people.
Is this true? In some jobs, yes. AI can write codecode: A system of words, numbers, or symbols used to represent something, or instructions for a computer. — 代码；密码；编码. AI can answer questions for customers. So young workers in tech jobs are finding it harder to get work.
But experts looked at the numbers. Most jobs are still done by people, not AI. A 2025 report said only about 2.5 percentpercent: A part or other object per hundred — 百分比 of US jobs are at real riskrisk: A possible adverse event or outcome — 风险 from AI right now. That is not very big.
So what is really going on? There are other reasons for the job cuts.
First, many tech companies hired too many workers after 2020. Now they want a smaller team.
Secondsecond: (with superlative) After the first; at the second rank — 次,第二, when a company says “AI” to investorsinvestor: A person or organisation that puts money into financial schemes or businesses with the expectation of profit. — 投资者, the shareshare: A financial instrument that shows that one owns a part of a company that provides the benefit of limited liability — 股票;股份 price often goes up. So saying “we are cutting jobs because of AI” sounds better than “our profitsprofit: Money that you gain by selling something for more than it cost you. — 利润；收益 are weakweak: Not having much physical strength or power. — 虚弱的；软弱的.”
Third, AI is very expensive. Big data centres: Very big buildings full of computers. AI needs these computers to work, and they cost a lot of money to build and run. — 数据中心（装满电脑的大型建筑，AI 运行需要这些电脑，建造和运行费用都很高） cost a lot of money. Meta plans to cut 20 percent of its workers. At the same time, Meta will spend 600 billionbillion: The number 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million). — 十亿 dollars on AI. The workers losing jobs are paying for the AI plan.
So AI is changing work. But it is not the only reason for these job cuts.
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What reason do tech companies give for cutting jobs?
- 02
What did the 2025 report say about US jobs and AI?
- 03
Why is the Meta example important in the article?
- 04
List three reasons (not AI) why tech companies are cutting jobs, based on the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe what Meta is doing with its workers and with AI.
Suggested length: ~50 words
Questions
Check your understanding
- 01
What reason do tech companies give for cutting jobs?
- 02
What did the 2025 report say about US jobs and AI?
- 03
Why is the Meta example important in the article?
- 04
List three reasons (not AI) why tech companies are cutting jobs, based on the article.
Suggested length: ~50 words
- 05
Describe what Meta is doing with its workers and with AI.
Suggested length: ~50 words