‘Your Craft Is Obsolete’: WiseTech Staff in Limbo as AI Touted as Better than Humans

Why It Matters

The move shows how AI hype can trigger rapid, large‑scale workforce restructuring, raising questions about employee rights and the actual productivity benefits of generative AI in enterprise software.

Key Takeaways

• WiseTech to cut ~30% of workforce, about 2,000 jobs
• Founder claims AI agent can learn a human job in 15 minutes
• Staff have waited three months for individual layoff decisions
• Product and development teams may see up to 50% reductions
• Union-backed petition has 300+ signatures demanding transparent redundancy

Pulse Analysis

WiseTech’s announced layoffs are part of a broader wave of AI‑driven restructuring sweeping the tech sector. After revealing that an AI agent could learn a human role in 15 minutes, the company signaled a strategic shift away from traditional software engineering. Investors have responded with cautious optimism, but employees are left grappling with uncertainty as the firm’s phased consultation process drags on for months, a stark contrast to the immediate notifications given by rivals like Block and Atlassian.

The bold AI claims clash with emerging data on productivity gains. A February NBER working paper surveyed 6,000 firms across the US, UK, Germany and Australia, finding that while 69% had deployed AI tools, more than 90% reported no measurable impact on employment or labour productivity in the past three years. WiseTech’s narrative that AI will replace manual coding therefore appears more aspirational than evidence‑based, highlighting a gap between executive optimism and on‑the‑ground results.

For the workforce, the situation underscores the growing importance of transparent change management. A petition on the Megaphone platform, backed by Professionals Australia, has already gathered over 300 signatures demanding fair redundancy packages and clear communication. As AI continues to reshape job design, companies that balance technological ambition with responsible employee treatment are likely to retain talent and avoid reputational fallout, setting a benchmark for the industry’s next wave of digital transformation.