Viral AI disruption post sows division
Watch on YouTube ↗  |  February 11, 2026 at 19:25 UTC  |  2:17  |  CNBC
Speakers
Deirdre Bosa — Anchor/Reporter
Kelly Evans — Anchor

Summary

  • A viral post by AI startup CEO Matt Schumer argues that the gap between "possible" and "here" in AI is collapsing faster than the market realizes, with AI now replacing technical work rather than just aiding it.
  • The market is actively selling "legacy" tech stocks perceived as vulnerable to this disruption, specifically those with large headcounts compared to leaner AI-native competitors.
  • Incumbents like Salesforce and Workday are reducing headcounts, signaling a potential struggle to adapt or a shift in efficiency, while AI-native firms like Anthropic operate with a fraction of the workforce (4,000 vs. tens of thousands).
Trade Ideas
Ticker Direction Speaker Thesis Time
WDAY /CRM
SHORT Deirdre Bosa
Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 		Deirdre reports that the market is "selling the stocks that AI progress is coming for," explicitly citing Salesforce (which cut 1,000 jobs) and Workday (which cut 2% of its workforce). These job cuts are framed as a symptom of disruption. The viral thesis suggests AI is replacing technical work, making high-headcount "System of Record" companies inefficient compared to AI-native disruptors. The market is pricing in this existential risk by selling the incumbents. Short or Avoid legacy SaaS companies that are "being disrupted" and forced to shrink headcount to survive. These companies may successfully pivot to AI-driven efficiency (as Benioff suggests), turning headcount reductions into margin expansion rather than revenue loss. 1:15
AI SECTOR
LONG Deirdre Bosa
Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 		Deirdre highlights that AI-native companies like Anthropic are "disrupting companies that still have tens of thousands of people on the payroll" while operating with only a "fraction of the people" (e.g., 4,000 employees). If the gap between "possible" and "here" is collapsing, value will accrue to the efficient, AI-native disruptors who can execute technical work without the bloat of legacy firms. Long the AI Sector (and specific disruptors) as they gain market share from legacy tech through superior unit economics. Regulatory crackdowns on AI displacement or overvaluation of private AI firms. —
AMZN
WATCH Deirdre Bosa
Anchor/Reporter, CNBC Tech Check 		Deirdre notes that "Amazon has said the same" regarding the ability to replace large numbers of people with AI. Amazon is grouped with Salesforce in the conversation about replacing labor with AI. However, unlike the legacy SaaS examples, Amazon is also a major AI infrastructure provider. The signal is mixed: are they a bloated incumbent cutting costs, or an aggressive adopter increasing efficiency? Watch to see if headcount reductions signal distress (disruption) or margin optimization (efficiency). Misinterpreting bullish efficiency measures as bearish disruption signals. 1:52