Now that we're into the second half of the year, and many companies have already made considerable cuts and layoffs in the first half of 2024 due to AI and efforts to reduce inefficiencies, many anxious professionals are worrying:

What will the second half of 2024 bring?

As if the layoffs pandemic couldn't get any worse, 60% of U.S business executives say that their company is likely to have layoffs over the next few months, in the second half of 2024, according to a new ResumeTemplates survey of 934 business leaders. And of this number, nearly half anticipate reducing 30% or more of their total headcount.

As if this news couldn't be more surprising, what comes next will totally blow your mind:

When asked to list their core reasons for layoffs, the top factors that emerged were needing to cut costs, poor employee performance, and AI taking over the workload, citing lack of AI skills.

The AI skills factor is such a crucial issue that three in four business leaders agreed that employees with artificial intelligence (AI) skills would be much less likely to be laid off from their jobs.

The findings from this survey make total sense, especially since, according to a recent Amazon Web Services survey, "73% of surveyed employers consider hiring talent with AI skills and experience a priority. But, nearly three in four (75%) of them say that they can’t find the talent they need."

What does this mean to you?

If you are working for an employer right now, the chances are high that your organization made the list in being part of the 60% who are currently anticipating layoffs for the next half of 2024. Whether or not that happens is out of your control.

But you experiencing a layoff is not entirely out of your control. You actually have the power to make a difference in your career and future-proof yourself as much as possible against the likelihood of being laid off this year, by learning and developing AI skills...fast.

This applies to you, whether you consider yourself to be a "techie" or not, or whether you work in the IT support or software development department or not. Regardless of your profession and department you work in, and regardless of your industry, AI skills—which are also high-income skills—will play a crucial role in determining your career future and how long you are able to stay in your job.

These high-income AI skills can make all the difference between remaining in your job while also boosting your salary, or being part of the next wave of layoffs and getting hit financially.

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