Palantir CEO Warns Against AI Layoff Brags, Americans Fear AI Job Loss, and Great Flattening Begins

June 10, 2026: Palantir CEO Alex Karp is warning tech leaders that bragging about AI-driven layoffs is a major political mistake and could fuel backlash against the entire industry. Then I get into a new Reuters/Ipsos poll showing that 53% of Americans fear AI could put them or someone in their household out of work, which means AI job anxiety is no longer a fringe concern. Finally, I break down the “great flattening,” with new data showing that 41% of employees say their companies trimmed management layers last year, and why eliminating too much middle management could create a serious leadership pipeline problem for the future. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: Three future of work stories leaders should know 02:27 Alex Karp warns tech leaders about AI layoff bragging 04:50 Why AI layoffs could become a political backlash story 07:16 Reuters/Ipsos poll: Americans fear AI job loss 09:43 Why worker fear can shape the future of AI adoption 12:06 The great flattening and the decline of management layers 14:32 Why companies need a new leadership development path 🔗 Resources & Links: 📩 Jacob’s newsletter: https://futureofworknewsletter.com 🎙️ Future of Work Leaders (CHRO Community): https://futureofworkleaders.com ---------------------------------------------- Jacob Morgan is a professionally trained futurist, keynote speaker, and international best-selling author of 6 books on leadership, employee experience, and the future of work. He’s also the founder of Future of Work Leaders, a global community for top CHROs and CPOs shaping the future of work and employee experience. Jacob has worked with, advised, and studied over 2,000 leaders, and his work has been endorsed by CEOs of Unilever, Cisco, Best Buy, Mastercard, Audi, Nestlé, The Ritz-Carlton, Yum! Brands, and more. Jacob’s Latest Book: The 8 Laws of Employee Experience: How to Build a Future-Ready Organization https://8exlaws.com/ Website: https://thefutureorganization.com/ Substack: https://greatleadership.substack.com/ Instagram: / jacobmorgan8 X (Twitter): https://x.com/jacobm LinkedIn: / jacobmorgan8 Podcast: https://thefutureorganization.com/fut... All books: https://thefutureorganization.com/books/