This weekly update reveals a deeply worried workforce facing the rapid expansion of AI technology in the workplace. According to a recent Mercer survey, 40% of workers worldwide now fear losing their jobs to AI, up dramatically from 28% in 2024. In the United States, anxiety runs even higher, with 60% of American workers believing AI will eliminate more jobs than it creates. These fears are grounded in real events: the tech sector has already experienced 30,700 layoffs in just the first six weeks of 2026, with roughly 28.5% of 2025's total tech layoffs (69,840 jobs) tied directly to AI adoption. However, the workforce impact presents a complex picture. A groundbreaking study from UC Berkeley discovered that AI is making workers more productive, but at a significant cost—workers are experiencing burnout as they fill their previously free time with more tasks. Meanwhile, worker anxiety has triggered job search paralysis: only 43% of people plan to actively search for new jobs this year, down from 93% last year. On a more positive note, workers with AI-related skills command 23% higher salaries on average in job postings, and some economists argue companies may be using AI as an excuse for routine layoffs rather than truly automating work at scale. The result is a workforce caught between fear and exhaustion, trying to adapt to a rapidly changing employment landscape.