Survey: The scope of employment in the high-tech industry was not significantly affected by the implementation of AI tools

The survey, which was conducted in December 2025, included 263 employers, of which 192 were high-tech companies, and represents about 80% of the employees in the industry. It shows that during the past year, 94% of the high-tech companies reported that they had recruited new employees, but the rate of recruits of the total number of employees was only 7.9%, slightly lower than the rate in the rest of the economy.

At the same time, about 23% of the companies indicated that they expect a reduction in the scope of hiring in 2026 compared to 2025. Here, too, the main reasons are not technological, but stem from efficiency considerations and the business situation, with the implementation of AI tools being mentioned in most cases as only a secondary factor. Even in the field of layoffs, artificial intelligence is not the main factor. About 35% of the high-tech companies reported layoffs in the last six months, mainly as part of reducing or closing teams and departments.

However, only a small minority of the companies indicated the implementation of AI as a main reason for layoffs, and in most cases it was an accompanying reason for the need for efficiency or business difficulties. Of the companies planning layoffs in 2026, 71% stated that AI has no impact on the decision, and the remainder spoke of only a slight impact.

The survey also shows that in the last two years there has been a gradual transition from a labor market led by employees to a market led more by employers. After the peak years of 2021 and 2022, there is a moderation, with a reduction in the supply of jobs, a decrease in voluntary departures and adjustments in the workforce that are made more through layoffs and less through natural turnover. The moderate increase in hiring in 2025 was also accompanied by a parallel increase in layoffs, which indicates a structural change rather than a temporary fluctuation.