Has it begun? AT&T to slash multiple jobs in less than three months in Alabama
The layoffs are going into effect on September 20.
Last week, we talked about the possibility of AI costing more than 40,000 employees of a British telco their jobs in the years to come – and now, AT&T layoffs are about to happen in Alabama.
Deep AI integration within the day-to-day operations of telecommunication providers is not a sci-fi dream: that's the reality we're living in right now. So far, it's not officially said that the jobs slashed in Alabama are because of AI, but I personally wouldn't be shocked if such is the case.
As reported by The Montgomery Advertiser, AT&T is about to lay off over 70 employees who are based in the city of Huntsville, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce. About a week ago, AT&T filed a WARN notice and the document said the layoffs will come into effect on September 20 – give or take, by the time the new iPhone 17 steps out in the light.
The WARN Act (short for Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) is a US labor law that requires certain employers to provide advance notice before significant layoffs or business closures. Specifically, companies with 100 or more full-time employees must give at least 60 days' written notice before carrying out mass layoffs or shutting down facilities affecting 50 or more workers.
This certainly doesn't sound too reassuring; such "times like this" when "additional reductions are necessary" might very well come again, and not too far ahead in the future.
The telco I mentioned at the beginning of the article is BT Group, one of the UK's largest telecom companies. According to reports, BT is considering deeper workforce cuts as AI becomes more central to its operations. The company currently employs nearly 99,000 people but plans to reduce that number by at least 40,000 by 2030, with the possibility of even steeper reductions.
CEO Allison Kirkby believes AI could significantly improve efficiency and accelerate these cuts beyond initial projections. This push follows earlier plans announced in 2023 to cut up to 55,000 jobs, including contractors, as part of a broader cost-cutting effort.
Deep AI integration within the day-to-day operations of telecommunication providers is not a sci-fi dream: that's the reality we're living in right now. So far, it's not officially said that the jobs slashed in Alabama are because of AI, but I personally wouldn't be shocked if such is the case.
The WARN Act (short for Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act) is a US labor law that requires certain employers to provide advance notice before significant layoffs or business closures. Specifically, companies with 100 or more full-time employees must give at least 60 days' written notice before carrying out mass layoffs or shutting down facilities affecting 50 or more workers.
The purpose of the law is to give employees time to prepare for job loss, seek new employment, or pursue retraining opportunities, and that's only natural.
Reducing our workforce is a difficult decision that we don't take lightly. We make every effort to do this through attrition, voluntary departures, and re-skilling efforts, but there are times like this when additional reductions are necessary. For eligible employees affected by these changes, we will provide severance pay, benefits and outplacement services.
– AT&T spokesperson for The Montgomery Advertiser, June 2025
This certainly doesn't sound too reassuring; such "times like this" when "additional reductions are necessary" might very well come again, and not too far ahead in the future.
A British telco could be laying off more than 40,000 people in the years to come
The telco I mentioned at the beginning of the article is BT Group, one of the UK's largest telecom companies. According to reports, BT is considering deeper workforce cuts as AI becomes more central to its operations. The company currently employs nearly 99,000 people but plans to reduce that number by at least 40,000 by 2030, with the possibility of even steeper reductions.
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