Last week, 86 employees at Nigeria’s leading food delivery company, Chowdeck, lost their jobs—not to poor performance or downsizing, but to the growing power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
At the start of the year, Chowdeck had 120 staff members. But in a move driven by cost-cutting and automation, the company decided to slash its workforce, stating that AI could now handle tasks previously managed by the laid-off employees—more efficiently and at a lower cost.
This shift isn’t just about one company. It’s a stark reminder of how AI is reshaping industries at an alarming pace. Jobs once thought safe are vanishing overnight. While businesses celebrate cost efficiency, the human toll of automation—lost livelihoods, financial uncertainty, and career displacement—continues to grow.
As AI-driven decisions like this become the norm, one question remains: Who’s next?
Photo Credit: Google Play
