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Over the last few years, Emma Kobil, a trauma counselor in Denver, started noticing a new topic coming up with her patients: artificial intelligence<\/a>. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve had clients lose their jobs due to AI<\/a>, and it\u2019s something we\u2019ve processed in our sessions,\u201d Kobil said. Often, they express \u201cshock, disbelief and fear about navigating a changing career landscape<\/a> where their skills are no longer needed,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Other therapists said the technology is also vexing their patients. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat I hear most often is a fear of becoming obsolete,\u201d said Harvey Lieberman, a clinical psychologist in New York. \u201cPeople start questioning their judgment, their choices or their future.\u201d <\/p>\n More than a third \u2014 or 38% \u2014 of workers said they worry AI will make some or all of their job duties outdated in the future, according to a July 2025 survey<\/a> by the American Psychological Association. <\/p>\n These fears are not unfounded, said Rhiannon Batchelder, a career coach based in Denver. <\/p>\n \u201cSome employees are being asked to create pitches for how AI can take over portions of their job,\u201d Batchelder said. \u201cAmong news of mass layoffs while CEO pay continues to rise, being replaced by technology just feels like another reason to lose hope in the possibility of a stable, fulfilling career.\u201d <\/p>\n AI was a major factor leading to nearly\u00a055,000 layoffs in the U.S.<\/a>\u00a0in 2025, according to December data from consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Overall, around 1.2 million jobs were cut in the year. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology study found that AI can already replace around 11% of the U.S. labor market. <\/p>\n