> This sounds like an attempt to rationalize the fact that your business isn't that effective, otherwise adding more people would result in making more money.

Yes, or that businesses are expecting a slow down in the economy that hinders their ability to sell (i.e. their customers are going to cutback on spending)

This was the case last year (or maybe it was the year before) where technology companies saw their customers reducing spend and tightening belts.

The current economy feels hard to figure out, in that the market keeps going up but so is inflation and the struggle of the everyday American at least.

Perhaps that is leading technology companies to be more conservative in how much they produce.

But if we're assuming that AI is highly effective, shouldn't that lead to short-term growth in the economy as inflation drops? Shouldn't people then be expected to spend even more?