AT&T Is Automating Away Jobs—and Its Old Telecom Empire

AT&T, which already shed more than half of its workforce over the past decade, says it's going to continue laying off staff as it gears up for the AI era. The telecommunications giant is also doing away with its old-school landline service and using artificial intelligence to automate some internal processes. All this downsizing is resulting in tangible benefits, including a considerable decrease in electricity usage, AT&T chief technology officer Jeremy Legg tells WIRED.

“We’re not going to have the same headcount in five years as we do today,” Legg says, adding that comparing its staffing levels to that of peers plays a role in its decisionmaking. According to public financial disclosures, AT&T generated less revenue per employee last year than its competitors Verizon and T-Mobile, both of which have let go of workers in recent months.

If AT&T continues cutting jobs at the same pace as last...

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