--- title: "7% of tech companies have cut staff because of AI — Marsanne Studio AI watch" description: "Opiiec's first barometer shows that 7% of French digital, engineering and consulting companies have reduced their workforce because of AI." url: "https://marsanne.studio/en/ai-watch/7-of-tech-companies-have-cut-staff-because-of-7eab92/" lang: "en" --- [Marsanne Studio](https://marsanne.studio/en/) [← Back to home](https://marsanne.studio/en/ai-watch) [← The AI watch](https://marsanne.studio/en/ai-watch) Data study · 16 September 2026 # 7% of tech companies have cut staff because of AI Original title, in French: “7% des entreprises de la tech ont réduit leurs effectifs à cause de l'IA” **Publication** Journal du Net (France) **Author** [Benjamin Polge](https://www.journaldunet.com/account/benjamin-polge-160597) **Published on** 16 September 2026 · read in the page structured data ## Summary Conducted in March 2026 among 606 French digital, engineering and consulting companies, Opiiec's first barometer measures the impact of generative AI on employment. According to the study, 7% of companies have reduced their workforce because of AI, mainly among very small companies and chiefly in development and marketing roles. Conversely, 9% have created AI-dedicated roles (AI project manager, data scientist, etc.) and 8% have strengthened certain teams. Opiiec also notes a decline in the hiring of junior profiles. In addition, 63% of companies report a need for AI training, but only 20% have formalised it, with the most requested topics being AI tools and prompt mastery. Summary based on the full text of the article. [Read the article on Journal du Net →](https://www.journaldunet.com/intelligence-artificielle/1554865-7-des-entreprises-de-la-tech-ont-reduit-leurs-effectifs-a-cause-de-l-ia/) ## Figures cited - 7 % share of companies that have reduced their workforce because of AI 606 French digital, engineering and consulting companies, March 2026 > « 7% des entreprises interrogées ont déclaré avoir réduit leurs effectifs en raison de l’arrivée de l’IA. » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 - 53 % share of workforce reductions occurring in companies with fewer than 10 employees among companies that have reduced their workforce > « 53% des cas concernent des entreprises de moins de 10 salariés et 31% des entreprises de 10 à 49 salariés. » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 - 9 % share of companies that have created an AI-dedicated role 606 French companies, March 2026 > « 9 % ont créé des postes dédiés à l'IA » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 - 8 % share of companies that have strengthened their workforce in certain occupations 606 French companies, March 2026 > « 8 % ont renforcé leurs effectifs sur certains métiers » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 - 63 % share of companies reporting a need for AI training 606 French companies, March 2026 > « 63% expriment un besoin, mais seules 20% l’ont clairement formalisé. » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 - 20 % share of companies that have formalised an AI training need 606 French companies, March 2026 > « 63% expriment un besoin, mais seules 20% l’ont clairement formalisé. » Source: Opiiec, Baromètre de l'intelligence artificielle, vague 1, 2026 ## Classification **Country** France **Company size** Micro-businesses, SMEs, Mid-sized companies **Industries** Software vendors, IT services companies, telecoms · Consulting, legal, accounting, business services **Companies** Opiiec (study author) **Keywords** employment, workforce, opiiec barometer, training, roles created, generative ai Entry written by Marsanne Studio from the cited article, with the help of an AI model (claude-sonnet-5). The rights to the article and its illustrations belong to Journal du Net and its author. Entry translated from French by Claude Sonnet 5.5.