Block Inc. workers are disputing CEO Jack Dorsey’s assertion that advances in artificial intelligence justify cutting roughly 4,000 jobs, nearly halving the company’s workforce. In interviews, current and former employees said internal AI tools speed some coding and support tasks but still require extensive human oversight, citing that most AI-generated code needs edits and that chatbots have mishandled customer issues—sensitive terrain for a heavily regulated fintech. Dorsey has framed the cuts as a strategic pivot from crypto to AI, saying a smaller team armed with new tools can do more; the stock rose after the announcement. Employees counter that the move looks like market posturing and warn that morale and service quality are at risk as remaining staff shoulder heavier workloads. The debate unfolds amid broader fears about AI-driven job losses, with Goldman Sachs estimating meaningful employment impacts as adoption accelerates.
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