# Mark Cuban Warns AI Job Risks: Skills Over Technology Threat
*Billionaire investor Mark Cuban argues that workers face greater risk from peers using artificial intelligence than the technology itself, citing new employment data.*

- Medio: Civic Coast News (https://civiccoastnews.com)
- URL: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/mark-cuban-warns-ai-job-risks-skills-over-technology-threat
- Sección: Economy
- Autor: Civic Coast News Staff
- Publicado: 2026-10-05T07:08:17.462Z
> Billionaire Mark Cuban argues that employees face greater risk from peers using artificial intelligence than the technology itself, as new hiring data reveals a surge in AI-linked jobs despite widespread layoffs.

## Las claves

- Employers cited AI in 120,136 US job cuts through September
- AI-linked roles have added over 750,000 positions since 2023
- Data annotators lead hiring wave with 282,000 new jobs

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban has issued a stark warning regarding the future of American employment, suggesting that workers are focusing on the wrong threat in the era of rapid technological advancement. According to Cuban, the primary risk to job security does not come from artificial intelligence (AI) itself, but rather from colleagues who possess superior skills in utilizing these tools. This perspective shifts the narrative away from automated replacement and toward a competitive landscape defined by digital proficiency.

### The Reality of AI-Linked Layoffs

Data released this year underscores the anxiety surrounding automation. Through September, US employers cited artificial intelligence as a factor in 120,136 announced job cuts. This figure represents approximately 21% of all layoffs reported during that period, according to data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The volume of AI-related dismissals this year has already exceeded the total for all of 2025 combined.

Survey data supports Cuban’s assertion regarding skill gaps. A Gallup survey found that tech workers who utilized AI less than once a month faced three times the layoff risk compared to those using it monthly. Furthermore, 62% of laid-off workers reported using AI only once a year or less, whereas this figure stood at just 50% among employed workers. Despite these statistics, Cuban noted that only 1% of displaced workers identified AI as the main cause for their termination.

### A Surge in New Employment Opportunities

While layoffs have been prominent, the labor market is simultaneously experiencing a significant expansion in artificial intelligence-related roles. Data from The Kobeissi Letter, citing Wall Street Journal figures and LinkedIn estimates, indicates that AI-linked positions have added more than 750,000 jobs to the US economy since 2023.

Data annotators lead this hiring wave with 282,000 new positions. These roles involve labeling material used to train AI models. Following them are data center jobs at 117,000 and AI engineers adding another 105,000 positions. Compensation in these sectors is notably higher; LinkedIn reports a median salary of approximately $180,000 for AI-related roles, compared to an overall average of $80,000 across all jobs, as this newspaper reported in [Bill Gates Warns AI Could Cause Mass Unemployment and Cyberattacks](/noticia/bill-gates-warns-ai-could-cause-mass-unemployment-and-cyberattacks).

### Broader Economic Implications

Box CEO Aaron Levie expects this demand to extend beyond the technology sector. He noted that banks, life sciences companies, manufacturers, and law firms are increasingly hiring technical talent or repositioning existing roles for agent deployment. Job postings mentioning "agent orchestration" jumped 1,721% in a single year according to hiring firm Draup.

However, the broader labor market remains sluggish. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nonfarm payrolls rose by only 29,000 in September, with the unemployment rate holding at 4.2%. With the October jobs report scheduled for release on November 6, economists and workers alike are watching to see if AI-linked hiring continues to grow while overall job gains remain slow.
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Fuente original: https://civiccoastnews.com/noticia/mark-cuban-warns-ai-job-risks-skills-over-technology-threat