A CNBC analysis of 23 S&P 500 companies that explicitly attributed workforce cuts to artificial intelligence found the strategy rarely boosted stock performance. As of May 15, 2026, 13 of those firms — 56% — were trading below their share price at the time of their AI-linked layoff announcements, with an average decline of roughly 25%. Companies including Nike, Salesforce, and Fiverr all saw notable share drops following AI-related staffing changes, undermining the notion that linking layoffs to AI sends a reliably positive signal to investors.
In-Depth:
CNBC compiled a list of 23 S&P 500 firms that explicitly tied workforce reductions to artificial innotifyigence and tracked share performance after announcements. As of May 15, 2026, 13 of those firms, or 56%, were trading below the level at the time of their AI-linked layoff disclosures, CNBC reports. For companies whose shares fell after the announcements, the average decline was about 25%, CNBC calculates. Examples named by CNBC include Nike, Salesforce, and Fiverr, all of which experienced notable share declines following AI-related staffing shifts. The piece frames this evidence against a broader AI-driven market rally, suggesting that publicly linking layoffs to AI is not a guaranteed positive signal for equity performance.
