The people pushing AI to replace you might not know what you actually do

Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud storage company Box, has a name for the growing disconnect between executives who think AI can replace workers and the workers themselves. He calls it “AI psychosis.” In a recent post, Levie argued that the people making decisions about automation often have the weakest grasp of the jobs they're trying to eliminate. It’s a pointed critique that resonates as more companies bet big on AI agents at the expense of human staff.

Consider ClickUp, the project management software firm, which just cut 22% of its workforce and said AI agents would handle the work. Meanwhile, tech layoffs in 2026 are already approaching the total for all of 2025, according to industry trackers. And on the consumer side, DuckDuckGo is seeing a surge in installs from users who want Google to stop forcing AI into search results and simply return links.

On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Sean O’Kane explore what happens when the AI-optimists and the AI-skeptics are both right at the same time. The episode also covers three notable deals and Waymo’s new robotaxi hitting the streets.

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