AT&T Is Automating Away Jobs—and Its Old Telecom Empire
wired ·
AT&T is aggressively automating its operations and reducing its workforce to adapt to the AI era, aiming to demonstrate greater efficiency to Wall Street. The company has already cut more than half of its employees over the past decade and plans to continue layoffs, potentially reaching a target of 85,000 staff by 2030. This downsizing is accompanied by the decommissioning of energy-intensive copper wire networks, which has significantly lowered electricity consumption. AT&T is replacing legacy systems with cloud software and utilizing generative AI for tasks ranging from customer service to network maintenance. While the overall headcount decreases, the company intends to hire for specialized roles in AI governance and fiber optic maintenance. CEO John Stankey envisions a transformed company focused on high-speed fiber and wireless services rather than traditional landlines. Despite these changes, AT&T faces competition from satellite internet providers like Starlink and internal cultural shifts regarding remote work.
wired