Who’s Next? The 3–6 Month Layoff Map

10/10/2025

Who’s Next? The 3–6 Month Layoff Map

“Losing a job to AI isn’t a verdict on your value—it’s a signal that the world is changing, and your next chapter must be more human, not less. The tasks machines take over are the ones you were never meant to be defined by. Now is your chance to lean into what they can’t replicate: your curiosity, your compassion, your courage to create something new.” - Qwen

Who’s Next? The 3–6 Month Layoff Map

AI is not coming for jobs “someday.” It’s already here. Layoffs at Accenture, Amazon, Microsoft, and even AI-native firms like Scale AI show a clear pattern: corporations are targeting repetitive cognitive tasks first.

This isn’t just theory. It’s strategy. Leaders are telling shareholders: AI makes these roles faster, cheaper, and more accurate — why keep them human?

So which roles are on the chopping block in the next 3–6 months? Here’s the map.

Junior Software Development & QA

At risk: Junior coders, QA testers, and “implementation” roles.

  • Why: Copilots now generate boilerplate code, write unit tests, and debug at near-99% accuracy. Senior developers can achieve in minutes what juniors used to take days.

  • Signals: CTOs admit they’re hiring only “big thinkers” who can manage AI, not compete with it.

  • Impact: The traditional “junior developer” career path is collapsing. Future engineers will need to enter at a higher level, with AI oversight and architectural skills.

Customer Service & Contact Centres

At risk: Tier-1 support agents, help desk staff, triage teams.

  • Why: AI chatbots handle repetitive queries 24/7, with zero fatigue. Companies report 30–50% productivity gains, and average response times cut by 76%.

  • Signals: IPSY saved $2.7M annually using AI support. ClickUp now resolves 40% of inquiries without human input.

  • Impact: Entry-level customer service jobs — once a mainstay for early career professionals — are being automated at scale. Humans remain only for complex escalations.

Content & Marketing Writing

At risk: Junior copywriters, content creators, SEO writers.

  • Why: AI drafts blog posts, ad copy, and social media campaigns 4.7× cheaper than humans. And it can repurpose content across channels instantly.

  • Signals: Marketing teams are consolidating. One strategist + AI is replacing teams of juniors.

  • Impact: “Writing” is no longer a career entry point. The value is shifting to brand strategy, voice governance, and AI oversight.

Clerical, Admin & Finance

At risk: Data entry clerks, payroll staff, junior accountants.

  • Why: AI + Robotic Process Automation (RPA) process payroll, invoices, and compliance data with higher speed and accuracy. Human error rates (1–5%) are replaced by near-perfect consistency.

  • Signals: Financial institutions are explicitly cutting roles tied to manual entry. Regulators are encouraging digital accuracy.

  • Impact: The once-steady supply of administrative jobs is shrinking. The next wave of cuts is already underway in banks, insurance, and back-office operations.

Legal & HR Associates

At risk: First-year analysts, paralegals, HR screeners.

  • Why: AI can scan contracts, review resumes, and triage legal research faster and more consistently.

  • Signals: Surveys show job seekers trust AI screening more than biased human reviewers. Firms are rolling it out to reduce lawsuits.

  • Impact: The “grunt work” that teaches young lawyers or HR staff the ropes is evaporating. The talent pipeline weakens — but the layoffs are happening anyway.

What This Means for Workers

If your role is:

  • repetitive (drafting, entry, logging),

  • rule-based (processes that follow checklists), or

  • first-draft creation (content, code, screening)…

…you are in the frontline of risk over the next 3–6 months.

The paradox is evident: the very roles that have trained generations of professionals are being eliminated, creating a long-term leadership gap. But in the short term, corporations are prioritising quarterly efficiency over future pipelines.

What You Can Do

The point of this map is not to create panic, but to give you time to act.

👉 I’ve prepared a free AI Career Audit Prompt you can run against your own resume.

It will:

  • Flag which of your tasks are most vulnerable in the next 3–6 months.

  • Assign a risk score backed by cost, speed, and accuracy metrics.

  • Generate a 3–6 month counter-strategy to pivot you from being replaced to directing AI.

Download it here → My AI Career Audit

Think of it as your early warning radar. It’s better to adapt now than to be caught off guard.