Productivity software company ClickUp is facing major discussion online after announcing layoffs while simultaneously expanding its use of AI inside the company.

ClickUp CEO Zeb Evans recently revealed that the company reduced around 22% of its workforce. However, according to Evans, the decision was not mainly about cutting costs. Instead, he described it as part of a larger shift toward becoming an “AI-first” company.

The announcement quickly caught attention because ClickUp is now using nearly 3,000 internal AI agents to help employees complete different tasks. Workers are increasingly expected to manage, guide, and review AI-generated work instead of doing every task manually themselves.

Evans believes this approach could dramatically increase productivity inside the company. He even stated that employees who create major results using AI tools could eventually earn “million-dollar salary bands.”

The situation reflects a growing trend across the tech industry in 2026. More startups and large companies are experimenting with AI automation to improve efficiency and reduce repetitive work. Some businesses believe AI agents can help teams move faster, complete projects quicker, and operate with fewer employees.

At the same time, the news has also raised concerns about job security and the future of work.

Many people online are questioning whether AI will mainly help workers or slowly replace them. Critics argue that some companies may use AI as an excuse for downsizing, especially when the financial benefits are still unclear.

According to a recent Gartner survey, many businesses using autonomous AI technologies have already reduced parts of their workforce. However, the report also suggested that these cuts do not always lead to strong financial returns.

Still, ClickUp says it is already seeing real productivity improvements from AI internally. The company is reportedly measuring how much time employees save using AI agents and may eventually turn some of these systems into products for customers as well.

The debate highlights how quickly workplaces are changing because of AI technology.

Some employees are now learning how to work alongside AI tools rather than compete against them. Others worry that roles involving repetitive digital tasks may continue shrinking as automation improves.

Industry experts say the future workplace may increasingly reward people who know how to manage AI systems effectively. Instead of manually handling every task, workers may focus more on strategy, creativity, decision-making, and reviewing AI-generated outputs.

For now, companies like ClickUp are becoming real-world examples of how AI could reshape office jobs in the coming years both positively and negatively.

As AI adoption grows, the bigger question many workers are asking is no longer “Will AI enter the workplace?” but rather “How much of the workplace will AI eventually handle?”

Read More on VitalStack

Enjoyed this article?

Subscribe for weekly deep-dives on AI and health — straight to your inbox.