Of course they are.

Management often has a perverse short-term incentive to make labor feel insecure. It’s a quick way to make people feel insecure and work harder ... for a while.

Also, “AI makes us more productive so we can cut our labor costs” sounds so much better to investors than some variation of “layoffs because we fucked up / business is down / etc”

You should look into the concepts of skepticism, materialism, and cynicism. Maybe don't trust the leadership of where you work, the leadership that sees you as a number and not a human.

Do you believe everything management tells you, whether you’re internal or external?

Which story sends a more positive signal to shareholders?

"We've frozen hiring because our growth potential is tapped out."

"We've frozen hiring because AI can replace employees."