Over 1,000 Meta employees started off 2026 on a bleak note — they were laid off in mid-January from Reality Labs, the company's Virtual Reality (VR)-focused division.
The public's unenthusiastic response to the Metaverse may have ultimately doomed these positions, but the threat of job loss feels acute to many in the tech industry due to U.S.-imposed tariffs and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence.
AI was responsible for nearly 55,000 layoffs in the U.S. in 2025, according to CNBC, citing consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Last year marked the highest number of layoffs since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year, the tech industry saw over 140,000 layoffs, more than any other industry except the government sector.
Now that we have that out of the way, the good news is that the tech job market isn't all hopeless. AI is currently a net positive for jobs, generating more positions than it eliminates, according to investment company Vanguard.
Mashable spoke to seven professionals in the tech and employment sectors, and they all saw reasons for optimism, offering their own advice for getting hired or moving up. Some of their biggest takeaways:
• Explore courses and training, especially on utilizing AI.
• AI is changing every day. Learning and experience culled from a few months ago may already be outdated.
• Tech jobs don't just happen at tech companies; all organizations need people fluent in AI, data security, and machine learning.
• Companies are looking for people who can help their peers integrate AI into daily workflows and use the technology more effectively.
• If you're currently employed, ask your supervisor how AI might change your role and what you can do to be proactive about that change.
• Old-fashioned networking is still valued, as are communication skills like writing and speaking.
Cristina Mancini, Chief Executive Officer of Black Girls Code
What would you say to someone looking for work in the tech industry?
If I had to choose a word for 2026 it's 'adaptive'; that’s the critical skill. One of my favorite titles for jobs I’ve seen is the human in the loop jobs; that’s making sure there’s a human in the loop before products ship or before you make strategy decisions; [a person] still using their discernment and lived experience.
There's a big shift in the C-suite of some tech companies, with many leaving or shifting roles. How could that filter down to those in entry- and mid-level jobs?
I think it’s interesting because Apple doesn’t usually go through these swings; they’re one of the stable ones. I think it’s interesting; they’re saying they’re all in on AI and, 'We’re going to win on AI.' What does winning on AI mean? Eventually, as happened with Klarna and other organizations, people are going to understand that AI cannot run your company for you. You still need people; they’re going to hire back people who understand how to use the tools. So, making sure you acquire these tools now is critical. That means you’re starting to experiment with the tools.
One of the things we’re proud of that we do [at Black Girls Code] is live training; our virtual training always has teachers. As of last year, you have a 5 percent chance of completing an online course by yourself, but it ratchets up to 95 percent if you’re part of a cohort. Trying to tell people, "just learn it," doesn’t help when people don’t understand the technology. We’re at this interesting juncture where there’s an opportunity to leapfrog some of these legacy systems and programs by learning a new skill that you don’t necessarily have to get a four-year degree for. People should take advantage of it.
Getting a major in some of these technologies is also challenging in a four-year college because the technologies are shifting. By the time you publish [a thesis], it’ll probably be dated.
Also, senior-level executives often don’t have to understand that they’re making everyone else use. We need to be aware of these tools. When you don’t, you could inadvertently be leading an organization that’s shipping harmful products.
I was talking to a friend of mine, he’s a career pivoter, switching out of sports and wants to get into tech. He was confused because everyone was sending him links to online courses, and he was wondering, Where do all these pathways lead? Which are the ones I should take? One of his friends took a cybersecurity course and dropped off because it was too hard. [These new skills] can feel like a foreign language.
I speak a couple of different languages. Once you start learning a new language, other languages become less complicated because you start understanding a different way of thinking. People have been talking about being a lifelong learner forever, but now that’s not a nice-to-have. Sitting on your degree from 20 years ago is not going to help you today.
Every industry is becoming a technology industry. People look at the mass layoffs happening across the tech industry, but there are other industries using technology to drive their business, and they need people who understand how to use it.
What are those opportunities that people aren’t seeing? If you’re a small business owner, suddenly becoming the CTO of your organization is not as complicated as it used to be. You don’t need 12 engineers to think about how to build certain CRMs or your marketing stacks. But you can hire someone who can use the AI tools to build them.
Is this really a pivotal moment in the industry?
I think we’re definitely in an incredible [AI] hype cycle, and all hype cycles burst eventually. But this technology is not going anywhere; some version of it will remain. So, when the companies have to hire back people, they’re going to hire people who understand the technology. A lot of startups, ourselves included, are moving into more place-based opportunities. There are jobs for real-life growth developers; people want to connect in person in the tech industry. People are understanding that people matter and help drive business forward.
Full article @ https://mashable.com/article/tech-jobs-ai-hired-2026