American Express will cut about 5 percent of jobs, then automate
5% of managers laid off at Amex. The company thinks AI fills the gap
American Express said on October 23, 2026, on its third-quarter earnings call, that it will cut about 5% of positions worldwide and take a $336 million restructuring charge. Executives said the company will remove management layers and widen managers’ spans of control so that it can automate and use AI in the coming quarters. Chief financial officer Christophe Le Caillec told CNBC that processes should be well structured before they are automated. Amex raised its full-year profit forecast the same day. It has not said which teams or roles are affected, or which tasks AI will take over.
Alan's takeAmex says it has to fix the organization before it automates. But removing layers isn’t the same as redesigning the work. Those who remain will inherit the coordination their former peers handled, before AI is ready to help. If we flatten first and figure out the AI later, we’re betting our best managers can absorb the gap. The message to managers is clear: start automating your own work before your company decides it can do without you.