AI Washing: The Corporate Smoke Screen Every Tech Professional Should Recognize
In the first quarter of 2026, companies named AI as the top reason for layoffs for the second consecutive month — not because AI actually replaced those jobs, but because saying “we’re restructuring due to AI” sounds more defensible than “we’re cutting costs to impress investors.” This is AI washing in its most naked form. The most common forms: Rebranding existing automation as “AI” — A chatbot that’s a rules-based decision tree with if/else branches is not AI. A recommendation engine that’s collaborative filtering from 2005 is not AI. But in 2026, calling these things “AI-powered” is still completely legal in most jurisdictions. ...