[18 MAY] Paper Cut - Weekly Employer Branding Headlines

Silicon Valley wants to replace all human workers? That’s not a headline, it’s a business model.

This week on Paper Cut:

🤖 AI: Eliminate as Many Humans as Possible

🧱 Middle Management Gets the Axe

📉 Global Confidence Collapses

🚫 Gen Z Opts Out of Leadership

As tech elites pitch an AI-powered world with no humans required, the workforce is left wondering: where do we fit in? From sweeping layoffs to a quiet rebellion against the ladder, this week’s headlines are a masterclass in future-of-work disruption.

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🔗 Links From This Episode

🤖 AI: Eliminate as Many Humans as Possible

• The Guardian: Silicon Valley wants to replace all human labour

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/12/for-silicon-valley-ai-isnt-just-about-replacing-some-jobs-its-about-replacing-all-of-them

• GitHub CEO: Humans still matter (for now)

https://thenewstack.io/github-ceo-on-why-well-still-need-human-programmers/

• Amazon: New human jobs in an AI world

https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/11/amazon-offers-peek-at-new-human-jobs-in-an-ai-bot-world/

• Alibaba: AI will be the backbone of operations in 3–5 years

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3309905/ai-will-be-mainstay-alibabas-business-next-3-5-years-chairman-joe-tsai-says

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🧱 The Middle Cuts: Career Purgatory Gets the Axe

• Amazon CEO: Cut middle managers who “fingerprint everything”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/smallbusiness/amazon-ceo-lays-out-plans-to-cut-middle-managers-who-want-to-put-their-fingerprint-on-everything/ar-AA1D3JEd

• More middle managers facing layoffs

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/working-life/leadership/more-middle-managers-are-being-laid

• TD Magazine: Middling Returns—The middle manager dilemma

https://www.td.org/content/td-magazine/middling-returns

• Microsoft: Global 3% headcount reduction

https://www.personneltoday.com/hr/microsoft-to-cut-3-of-jobs-worldwide/

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📉 Global Layoffs & Confidence Collapse

• Nissan to cut 20,000 jobs globally

https://ciosea.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/corporate/nissan-to-cut-20000-jobs-globally-following-a-4-5b-annual-loss/121155018

• Reuters: 10,000+ job cuts at Nissan confirmed

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/nissan-cut-over-10000-more-jobs-globally-nhk-reports-2025-05-12/

• Panasonic to cut 10,000 roles globally

https://www.hcamag.com/asia/news/general/panasonic-to-cut-10000-jobs-globally-to-streamline-workforce/535331

• Burberry announces 1,700 job cuts

https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/companies-markets/consumer-healthcare/burberry-cut-1700-jobs-turnaround-bid

• S&P Global: Labour market risk outlook

https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/mi/research-analysis/global-labour-market-risks-tilt-to-the-downside-as-business-confidence-plunges-May25.html

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🚫 Gen Z to Leadership: “Hard Pass”

• Gen Z opts out of management to protect mental health

https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-consciously-unbossing-avoid-management-roles-preserve-mental-health-2025-4

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