Nearly one in three managers who cut roles for AI hired them back

Just under one in three U.S. and Canadian hiring managers who eliminated a role primarily because of AI later hired for the same or a similar position, according to Robert Half research reported by Information Age. Employers cited greater-than-expected needs for human oversight and quality control, alongside relationship skills and institutional knowledge.

The rebound was not necessarily a straight restoration. Returning roles could combine technical skills with more oversight, communication and decision-making, Robert Half director Nicole Gorton told Information Age. She said gaps in a company’s capabilities can become apparent only after AI tools enter day-to-day operations.

Ford said in June that it had hired or promoted 350 veteran engineers after AI tools used for quality control fell short of expectations, The Associated Press reported. A spokesperson told AP that AI remained an important contributor to quality gains alongside employees’ technical expertise.

Klarna, the Swedish buy now, pay later provider, began recruiting human customer service representatives again last year, according to the AP account. Chief Executive Sebastian Siemiatkowski acknowledged in an interview with Bloomberg News that its reliance on an AI chatbot to reduce costs had gone too far.

Some of the work employers overlook sits outside formal job descriptions, Forrester principal analyst Betsy Summers told AP, including maintaining team cohesion and trust. Georgetown University management professor Brooks Holtom said customer-service bots frequently need to refer problems to workers who can assess their complexity and respond creatively within company policies.

Winning former employees back brings another complication. Workers offered their old jobs are asking for more money and answers about how AI could affect future staffing, Lucy Beaumont, a global senior vice president at employment-testing technology company SHL, told AP.