Remote workers are far more likely to get laid off than replaced by artificial intelligence – with the isolation also leaving home-based employees more vulnerable to mental health issues, shocking new data shows.
A new Gallup poll of recently axed employees found that a whopping 25% were fully remote, while a measly 1% actually lost their jobs due to AI.
Despite widespread hysteria over AI-related job displacement, laid-off workers pointed to restructuring, budget cuts, economic conditions and lost business as the primary reasons for their job loss.
The poll also showed that overall layoffs have leveled off at 21% after nearly tripling between 2022 and 2025, signaling a cooling — but still tense — job market, with tech and federal government roles among the most exposed as hiring tightens across sectors.
Meanwhile, a new study published in Science this month found that remote workers account for a third of the decline in mental health between 2011 and 2024, with those living alone suffering the most.
Experts comparing post-pandemic data revealed that homebound workers are clocking an extra hour of isolation every single workday and cutting back on after-work socializing compared to regular commuters.
The hardest hit are those living alone, with a staggering 83% of solo remote employees going entire days with absolutely zero social contact, causing mental distress to skyrocket, the study showed.
Experts found that psychological turmoil spiked twice as fast among people living alone compared with those living with family. Similar increases were seen in depression rates, mental health care visits and antidepressant prescriptions.
Meanwhile, office-based workers saw no comparable rise in general doctor visits or non-mental health prescriptions, suggesting the trend wasn’t simply driven by easier care to access.
Researchers said the mental health decline is tied to current remote working arrangements, and remains significant even after accounting for AI exposure and tracking the same individuals over time.
“The analyzed period saw a general increase in mental distress,” the study said.
“Our analysis suggests that remote work accounts for roughly a third of that increase.”